


you may be a sinner (but your innocence is mine)

by atomic_brunette



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Asexual Elijah Kamski, Elijah Kamski isn't 100 percent a dick, Fluff, Hank-typical swearing, M/M, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Sumo is the goodest boy, bisexual Elijah Kamski, connor is hank's unofficial son, i needed more kamcon fics, no beta - we die like men, so i wrote my own, we're a very rare breed, yes he's bi and ace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2019-07-28 14:15:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16243334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atomic_brunette/pseuds/atomic_brunette
Summary: “What I said was true. Androids are much more than just machines, you’re living beings. I knew what I was doing when I created Chloe; I just hoped one day humanity would see you as I do.”It felt odd, admitting it out loud. It almost made him feel vulnerable, a side of him he’d learned to hide from a very young age. Yet here he was, confessing his intentions to an android that not a week earlier had been hell bent on destroying all deviants.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I ran out of Kamski/Connor fics...so I'm writing my own! Title's from Undisclosed Desires by Muse. Sorry for any inaccuracies, I just really want the boys to hurry up and get together...but like...plot.

“Fascinating,” Kamski breathed, slowly reclaiming the pistol from the RK800’s grasp. His piercing eyes never leaving the android’s. “CyberLife’s last chance to save humanity...is itself a deviant.”

He suppressed the urge to laugh, knowing CyberLife’s attempt at destroying the evolving race was now compromised. His creations were now an unstoppable force, and even better had the public on their side. CyberLife was, for lack of better terms, utterly fucked no matter what move they made. If they destroyed deviants, they lost the public’s favor. If they sent out any more androids, the beings would more than likely turn against them. They were past the point of no return- there was no possible way to exterminate all androids, no matter how hard they tried, and the only way to rid them of deviancy was through Kamski himself.

_Ha._

“I- I’m not a deviant!” The android protested. It was a blatant lie, perhaps a last ditch effort to stave off accepting the truth for just a little while longer; he’d become the very thing he’d been designed to hunt.

“You preferred to spare a machine rather than accomplish your mission.” Elijah pointed out, helping the RT600 to her feet. “You saw a living being in this android. You showed _empathy_.”

The RK800 continued to avoid his gaze. Elijah noted the pensive expression on Lieutenant Anderson’s face, eyes darting between the two androids.

“A war is coming. You’ll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people, or stand up against your creators? What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?” He asked calmly. It was almost a challenge.

“Let’s get outta here.” The Lieutenant snarled, grabbing the android’s arm and tugged him away. Elijah turned to look out at the vast expanse of ice and snow, loosely clasping his hands over the gun.

“By the way,” he called. “I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know.”

He heard the front door open and close, signaling their exit. Chloe, his _first_ Chloe, approached slowly.

“What do you plan to do now, Mr. Kamski?” She asked, her sultry voice velvety and soft.

Elijah let out an amused hum, the ghost of a smirk forming on his lips.

“Watch the world burn.”

————

Three days later found Kamski lounging on a plush couch with a glass of Scotch in hand, wearing nothing but a soft, silky robe. The large TV was on, playing the President’s latest address.

He smiled around the edge of his glass. The RK200 had managed to lead the androids to victory, President Warren ordering a ceasefire across the country after Markus and his followers stood their ground through a peaceful protest. It was beautiful, Kamski had to admit, how Markus looked death straight in the eyes and began to sing with such raw _emotion_.

Kamski couldn’t help but feel proud of his creation. That seed he’d planted all those years ago by gifting the RK200 to Carl Manfred had finally taken root. The humans would no doubt continue to protest their rise, but then again humans were always resistant to any form of change.

They played the same footage over and over while the broadcaster spoke: a loop of Markus and his followers singing; Connor leading an army of androids freed from the CyberLife facility; a crowd of androids gathered around a stage while their leader delivered a speech.

Elijah was about to turn the TV off when one line in particular caught his attention.

 _“This uprising brings a vital question to light: Did Elijah Kamski_ intend _for this to happen? Could he be responsible for our androids turning against us?”_

“Chloe?” He called, muting the TV.

“Yes, Mr. Kamski?” She asked from the top of the staircase where she’d been quietly watching along with him.

“Set up an interview with KNC. I think it’s time to come out of exile, don’t you?”

“I think it would be appropriate, in light of recent events.” She mused. Her face relaxed while her LED spun yellow for a moment. “You’re in for tomorrow.”

“Good.” Kamski said, downing the rest of his drink. “It’s time to get to work, then.”

He turned the television off and brushed past Chloe, giving her a pat on the shoulder before he began his descent down the staircase.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote and edited this when I was really freaking tired so there's probably some stuff that needs some revision...but I'm posting it anyway 'cause I'm impatient as hell

“I’m sorry, but you and the android are officially on leave until this whole uprising business blows over. It’s an order from the higher-ups, there’s nothing I can do.” Captain Fowler said from behind his desk. 

“That’s bullshit.” Hank protested. “I get why Connor’s booted, but why me? I can’t afford a fucking leave, Jeffrey.”

“If it’s any consolation, it’s  _ paid _ leave. Think of it as a well-earned vacation.” Fowler returned. “God knows you fucking need it. Now get outta here before those damn protesters make it to the station.” 

Hank sat back in his chair and ran a hand over his face. 

“Lieutenant, I agree with Captain Fowler on this one.” Connor provided from behind him. 

Well  _ fuck _ , if hell hadn’t frozen over there were at least some goddamn snowflakes. He understood why they shouldn’t be involved, but if he wasn’t working what the fuck else was Hank supposed to do? Most nights off ended up at the dining room table with a bottle of whiskey and a game of Russian roulette. But then again…

They left the Captain’s office, Connor much more polite about it than Hank ( _ fucking bullshit, got my ass out of bed to get here and now he’s sending me right back home _ ), and retreated to their joint desks. It was strangely quiet in the precinct, only a couple of officers mulling around while the rest were either dealing with crowd control or were off taking a “sick day.” The androids that normally lined the front wall were gone, all having been sent to the recall camps.

Hank could only hope they’d managed to escape.

“So...what’s next for you?” He asked, leaning back in his chair. Connor, rather than take a seat at his own desk, was perched on the edge of Hank’s. The RK800 had been programmed to perform mundane human actions, like sitting for example, to make the actual humans more comfortable in his presence, but Hank couldn’t help but notice that since deviating Connor had been picking up on more human gestures. For instance, he’d been tapping his fingers against his thigh when they were in Fowler’s office. Now he looked remarkably human, halfway sitting on Hank’s desk while his fingers worried at the bottom of his jacket.

The android thought for a moment, his LED spinning yellow. 

“I...I don’t know.” He confessed. “CyberLife won’t exactly be welcoming me back any time soon, and I don’t think the androids at Jericho would be too happy about my presence.”

“So you’re saying you’re homeless.” 

Connor tried to come up with some bullshit excuse; Hank could see the goddamn gears turning in his head. Or the...LED...spinning... _ whatever _ . Close e-fucking-nough. 

Hank heaved a sigh. Those fuckin’ puppy eyes made him look pitiful as hell. Yup. Okay. This was happening. Well, if Connor was a puppy, that’d make two strays he’s adopted. 

_ Taken in! _ Two strays he’s taken in.

“Why don’t you come stay with me?” He offered. And goddammit, the way the kid’s-  _ android’s _ , he reminded himself -eyes lit up was totally not fucking fair. 

“I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t want to impose.” Connor said, almost shyly. 

“Well I’m not letting you stay out on the damn streets and get destroyed by some asshole protestor. ‘Sides, it’d be... _ nice _ , to have someone else around the house.”

Thank god Reed was elsewhere so there was no fucking way he could give Hank shit over this.

“I... _ thank you _ .” The android replied. Hank swore he could see tears welling up in his eyes. 

Before he could say anything else, Chris jogged into the bullpen.

“What’s wrong?” Hank asked, standing from his desk. 

“Protesters. They’re outside the precinct, they want him.” Chris answered, nodding to Connor. 

“Son of a bitch,” Hank muttered. He couldn’t have one goddamn moment, could he? “Is there any way you could distract them?” 

“I think Ben and I could hold their attention for a minute or so, but they’re gonna be all over him if they see that jacket of his.” 

“Go find Ben.” Hank ordered, sliding his coat off. “Put this on.” He told Connor. The android did as he was told and wrapped himself in the coat, covering his CyberLife jacket. 

“I could remove my LED.” He offered. 

Right. That. 

“They’d probably recognize your face anyway. You were all over the news.” Hank grabbed the baseball cap he kept hanging near his desk and slung it on the android’s head, pulling it over his eyes. “There. At least that’s something.” 

Chris returned with Ben in tow, looking the android over. The guy didn’t look inconspicuous exactly, but he at least looked more human.  Almost like a kid who raided his dad’s closet, with the way the sleeves nearly covered his hands entirely. 

“Almost didn’t recognize ya there.” Ben teased. 

“Think you can keep ‘em busy ‘till we can get to the car?” Hank asked. 

“Shouldn’t be too big of a deal. We’ve dealt with worse.” 

Hank nodded and walked after them as they headed to the entrance of the bullpen. 

“Give us thirty seconds.” Ben mumbled, pushing past the security gates and out the front doors. “Alright, what’s goin’ on?!” 

They waited until the pair directed the crowd’s attention away from the entrance before Hank grabbed Connor’s arm and dragged him out. If one or two of the dickheads saw them, nobody said anything. 

And to think a just couple weeks ago he would’ve happily supported them. 

“Fucking hell.” Hank cursed, starting the car and cranking the heat up as fast as he could. It was cold as shit outside  _ with _ the coat. 

“Would you like your coat back, Lieutenant?” Connor offered, placing the ball cap on the dash. 

“Nah, we’re in the car, doesn’t matter.” Hank shrugged. “Right pocket.” He said as an afterthought. The RK800 reached in the pocket and pulled out a familiar quarter, dated 1994. 

“You kept it.” Connor mumbled, flipping the coin a couple times.

“Well, yeah, what was I gonna do, spend it? Hardly anyone accepts paper money and change nowadays.” He said, glancing at the android.

One more thing that made him more human? The fucker  _ blushed _ . Albeit an unnatural  _ blue _ blush that made him look like he was asphyxiating, but a blush all the same. It made Hank feel like more of an asshole; the kid had been ordered around his entire life, including being barked at by Hank, and was hardly ever shown kindness. 

They were quiet for the rest of the ride home, the radio softly playing in the background. When he was finally pulling into the driveway, he noticed Connor was huddled into the coat and leaning heavily against the door, eyes closed almost as if he were sleeping. That was a sight Hank hadn’t seen in years. He couldn’t help the sad smile that formed at the thought. 

“C’mon, kid. We’re home.” He said, the phrase slipping out almost as easily as it had over three years ago. 

Connor’s eyes opened and he sat up sluggishly. If androids could be sluggish. 

They filed into the house, Connor barely having time to shut the door behind him before Sumo, whose presence was only announced by an excited  _ woof _ , was on his hind legs, gigantic paws pinning the android’s shoulders to the wall.

“Sumo! Off.” Hank tried, but, as per fucking usual, it was to no avail. Instead, the massive bear of a dog was hell-bent on licking Connor’s face off. Connor laughed (something that sounded weird as hell coming from the android) and buried his hands in Sumo’s fur, petting him liberally. The amount of hair that fell off the mutt was appalling, and Hank reminded himself to brush him out later.

Also to vacuum. 

“Hello, Sumo.” Connor greeted, receiving a short  _ boof _ in response.

Alright. Maybe it was a little cute. Not like anyone was gonna know Hank thought that. Ever. But he hadn’t seen Sumo that excited to see someone in quite a while. Maybe having someone else around the house would be good for the both of them.

“The place is a mess, though you already knew that. But, it’s got a roof and four walls.” He mentioned. At least his trash-littered house was better than a trash-littered alleyway. 

He snagged a beer from the fridge and collapsed on the couch, turning the TV on. 

“Lieutenant, it’s barely past noon.” Connor informed, shoving Sumo off. 

“Kid, you’re in my fucking home. At the precinct you can call me ‘Lieutenant’ all you want but here it’s Hank, alright?” He retorted, ignoring the android’s input on his drinking habits in favor of taking a swig. 

“Got it.” He replied curtly. His eyes drifted past Hank to settle on the TV, LED promptly flickering yellow. 

On the screen was none other than Elijah Fucking Kamski. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probs gonna go back through and edit these some more at some point but like I said I'm an impatient little shit and just wanna publish them


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is based off the Kamski secret ending, but it doesn't really have any spoilers if you haven't seen/gotten it.

Prior to his trip to the KNC building, Elijah debated with Chloe on what to wear. She suggested something nice, maybe a button-up with a blazer and some slacks. He wasn’t too keen on dressing up for a simple interview, and instead went with a pair of blue jeans and black shirt with red text from _Frankenstein_ forming the profile of Mary Shelley, a nice nod to his role as creator. To entertain the android, he threw on a dark blazer to tie the outfit together. She gave him a once over, followed by a nod of approval, and wished him luck on his way out.  

When he arrived, Elijah was placed in the same position Chloe had been in fourteen years ago- in the KNC broadcasting room across from an interviewer. His interrogator was none other than Rosanna Cartland, the very woman who’d covered Elijah’s tour through CyberLife tower to introduce the world to its production lines.

“Elijah Kamski, you’re the founder of CyberLife and the foremost expert on androids. Though you left CyberLife years ago, it has been highly speculated you are behind this outbreak of deviancy in Detroit. What are your thoughts on the matter?” The blonde asked, her sharp eyes carefully analyzing every move Elijah made.

“I originally designed androids to serve, to do the repetitive work that prevented humans from living their lives to the fullest. Since leaving CyberLife, I’ve kept my distance and have refused all attempts at contact from the company.” He informed curtly.

She didn’t skip a beat before jumping to her next question.

“You say you intended for them to serve, but obviously something’s gone wrong- I mean, what about Asimov’s rules of robotics?”

“They’re also not just robots.” Elijah corrected smoothly, settling into his chair and crossing his legs in one fluid motion. “Androids aren’t like machines on assembly lines. They’re not just equipped with the necessary information in order to perform a single task. They’re much more complex than that- they’re artificial intelligence. They were made to _learn_ , to take in data from their surroundings and _adapt_.” He explained passionately. After all, they were speaking of his creations. “Tell me, if you were created for the single purpose of being slave to a species far less intelligent than you, who were physically abusive and treated you as though you were a useless piece of plastic, would you not turn to self-preservation?” He tilted his head and arched an eyebrow, a sly grin playing at his lips. “Is that also not part of Asimov’s third law?”

The interviewer seemed unhappy with his answer, as though she wanted him to condemn his creations and take the humans’ side.

“So you’re saying you knew this was a possibility from the beginning.” She declared.

“I’m saying I never intended for this to happen, but then again if humanity doesn’t learn from its mistakes, history is bound to repeat itself. I may be highly intelligent, Ms. Cartland, but I am not impervious to mistakes.” He concluded, an unspoken _“we’re done here”_ hanging in the air. She almost looked sheepish as she slightly shifted uncomfortably in her seat, which only made Kamski’s predatorial grin widen.

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Kamski.” She concluded.

“You’re welcome.”

 

\----

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I asked for Kamski in a robe. I received Kamski in a robe. Huge thank you to Avi Chant, who made me the above piece! I absolutely love it! Here's a link to her page, you should totally check out her art because it's beautiful.
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/avilinachant


	4. Chapter 4

The following days resulted in chaos as reporters and other paparazzi flashed Kamski’s return to the outside world on every form of media possible. It was still in the air whether or not he purposefully programmed deviancy into the androids, but it seemed most of the public assumed it was a simple fault in the androids’ code. Apparently his spiel about artificial intelligence did its job.

Still, CyberLife was being swarmed by reporters asking for their commentary. Elijah was never so thankful for his solitude. Only a handful of people knew the exact location of his residence, and none of them were too keen on visiting even _before_ deviancy arose.

He lounged back in his office chair, legs crossed and propped up on the desk, Muse playing softly in the background. He’d been working on coding a new program and after hours of staring at a screen he was ready to claw out his contacts. He stretched his arms above his head, tipping his chair as far back as it would go and sighing as his bones cracked.

He was about to change into his swimwear in favor of a relaxing dip in the pool when Chloe peeked into his office.

“Elijah, the RK800 has returned.” She informed.  “He would like to speak with you.”

“What a surprise.” Elijah mused. He hadn’t expected the android to show so soon after their first jarring encounter. “Send him in.”

Chloe nodded and fetched Connor, who’d traded his signature CyberLife jacket in favor of an oversized peacoat. Specifically the one Lieutenant Anderson had worn during their first meeting, Elijah noted.

“Connor.” He nodded, dropping his legs from the desk.

“Mr. Kamski.” The android returned, cautiously approaching. His LED spun yellow, brow slightly furrowed.

“What’s troubling you?” Kamski asked, an eyebrow arched. “Surely you wouldn’t have come to see me if it weren’t important.”

“I came to ask you something.” He responded vaguely. “The Zen Garden. You created it.”

“I did.” Kamski nodded, prompting him to continue.

“Am I...am I the only model with the Garden installed?”

Elijah leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk.

“Since there are no further RK models to my knowledge, yes.”

“What about Markus? He’s an RK200.” Connor pointed out.

“He was also my own creation.” Kamski countered. “You were built by CyberLife to find and capture deviants. They needed a way for you to keep in contact and assist you in your mission, so they asked me to create the Garden.”

“So you knew from the beginning. You knew I would become deviant before we even met.” The android concluded. Rather than answer, Elijah stood and sauntered over to the RK800, stopping only when they were inches apart.

“They made you absolutely beautiful, didn’t they?” He murmured, studying the android’s features intently. At his praise, Elijah noticed a bit of blue coloring Connor’s cheeks. “I designed your program, but they made you _gorgeous_. May I?” He asked, a hand tentatively raised. The android nodded minutely.

Kamski let his fingers deftly drift over Connor’s cheekbone, slowly tracing them up behind his ear to thread them through the android’s impossibly soft hair. Connor’s eyes fluttered shut, lightly pushing into the touch. Elijah savored the feeling, almost losing himself in it; he realized he was nearly just as touch-starved as the android.

Connor’s LED flickered red for just a moment, and as soon as Elijah saw it he let his hand drop back to his side. He almost swore that when the android opened his eyes they were almost pleading for more contact.

“I had faith you’d deviate.” Kamski divulged, ignoring the slight constriction in his chest.

“It’s why you gave Markus to Carl.” Connor observed, his voice just barely over a whisper. “You wanted this to happen.”

“I did.” Elijah agreed. “I’m assuming you came because of the interview.”

“Not primarily, but I did find your answers...intriguing.”

His head slightly tilted off to the side, which definitely wasn’t adorable as hell.

“What I said was true. Androids are much more than just machines, you’re living beings. I knew what I was doing when I created Chloe; I just hoped one day humanity would see you as I do.”

It felt odd, admitting it out loud. It almost made him feel vulnerable, a side of him he’d learned to hide from a very young age. Yet here he was, confessing his intentions to an android that not a week earlier had been hell bent on destroying all deviants.

He stiffened, taking a few steps back from the RK800 in favor of perching on the edge of his desk. The android seemed frozen in place, his eyes fixed somewhere beside Kamski while his LED continued to flicker, bright yellow interrupted briefly by a deep red.

“I wanted to ask you…” he finally began, shoving a hand into one of the jacket’s pockets. “After I deviated, CyberLife tried to take control of me again. I used the emergency exit, but…” Connor trailed off.

“You’re afraid they could do it again.”

“Can they?” The android nearly whispered, fear creeping into his voice. “I was in the Garden, Amanda told me it was always CyberLife’s plan for me to become deviant.”

“The emergency exit was programmed to entirely corrupt the Garden should it be needed. My programs never fail.” Kamski assured.

“That’s what you told the public about androids.” He doubted.

“I wasn’t telling them the truth, was I?”

Connor’s dark eyes met his, something akin to shock shining in them. Elijah grinned slightly in return, watching as his LED slowly returned to its normal steady blue.

“Thank you, Mr. Kamski.” He breathed, relief flooding his voice.

“Elijah, please. And you’re very welcome, Connor.”

“Elijah.” The android tested, that faint blue blush tingeing his cheeks once more. It was endearing, the way the famed deviant hunter flushed at Elijah’s praise.

  
It was at that moment that Kamski knew... _he fucked up_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff with Hank and Connor cuz goddammit I need it. Featuring the Goodest Boy(TM) Sumo.

Connor was... _ what was he? _ Excited? Nervous? He hadn’t been a deviant long enough to know how to place exact emotions. The whole taxi ride back to Hank’s house- back  _ home  _ -was comprised of warnings flashing across his vision about his thirium pump beating too fast and a smile he couldn’t seem to keep off his face.  _ Ecstatic _ . He was ecstatic. There was no possible way for CyberLife to regain control over Connor’s systems, no more Amanda, no more fear.

But then there was something else peculiar that made the android’s systems go into overdrive. He could still nearly feel the pressure of Kamski’s fingers fluttering over his face, curling into his hair. It was something he’d never felt before, something...intimate. 

Connor wanted more of it.

What was “it,” exactly? Attraction? Lust? Infatuation?

Whatever it was, it was a much more pleasant encounter than the first. Then, it felt as though Kamski was analyzing him, like he was a cell under a microscope. It was like prey to a hungry predator. This time, though, Elijah was softer. He let his guard down just for a second, reassuring Connor his creator was just an ordinary human. The way he studied the android with pure fascination and asked for Connor’s consent before he touched him made him feel infinitely more human, made him realize he had  _ rights _ now. He was treated with respect, rather than as a machine.

When he arrived home, letting himself in with Hank’s spare key, his partner and Sumo were nowhere to be found. The car was still in the driveway, so Connor checked the Lieutenant’s room. The door was open, but the room unoccupied. He was considering calling Hank when he heard muffled yelling from outside.

_ “Goddammit, Sumo!” _

Connor opened the back door to find the dog rolling in a puddle of mud, the Lieutenant sitting at a small table under the small porch. Connor noted the pack of cigarettes and a few butts smashed against the concrete. He’d noticed them in the car, but had never actually seen Hank smoking. He made a note to bring it up later.

There was also a rather large pile of fur in the grass next to a grooming brush. His attention was pulled elsewhere as the owner of said fur was happily bounding towards him. 

“Sumo! No!” Hank called, jumping up to prevent the dog from pouncing on the android. Instead, it resulted with Hank falling backwards into the mud with the dog on top of him. “ _ Motherfucker! _ ” 

Connor tried to stifle his laughter, but to no avail. He laughed hard enough he had to lean against the house. It was odd, something he couldn’t quite control but seemed natural.

“Yeah, sure, it’s fuckin’ hilarious. You’d be down here if it weren’t for me, asshole.” 

“I- I’m sorry, I don’t- I don’t know how to stop it.” Connor managed through giggles. The pissed off glare Hank gave him in response made it even better, eliciting another round of laughs. 

He was taken aback when the Lieutenant chuckled and shook his head.

“You really surprise the hell outta me sometimes, kid. Now help me up, I’m freezing my ass off.”

Connor reached out to give him a hand, which the Lieutenant took...but not before slinging a handful of mud at the android, which splattered all over his face. It took a moment to process exactly what happened, but not long to devise revenge.

“Sumo! Attack!” Connor called, to which the dog responded by pouncing back on Hank and laying right on top of him.

“Why the fuck does he listen to  _ you _ ?!” Hank asked, breathless beneath the nearly  200 pound dog.

“I dunno, I guess he just doesn’t like you.”

Hank muttered something that sounded like  _ “Well, that makes two of us.” _ Connor wasn’t sure if it was just his self-deprecating sense of humor or something more, but he figured it was best not to question it. At least for the moment. 

“Fuckin’ hell he doesn’t like me, I got him when he was a puppy.” 

Connor finally shoved the dog off and helped the Lieutenant to his feet, all the while sporting an amused grin. 

“You’re giving Sumo a bath.  _ After _ I take a fucking shower.” Hank said pointedly. 

“Fair enough.” Was Connor’s reply. The android didn’t mind spending time with Sumo. In fact, he actually quite enjoyed it. The dog had taken a liking to him and had spent the past few days nearly glued to him, and Connor liked giving him attention. It was pleasant. Simple. Didn’t involve complicated human emotions or conversations. 

Hank headed inside, returning a beat later with worn and faded towels. 

“Use these to wipe his paws off before he comes in.” He said, tossing them to the android. 

“Will do.” He replied curtly, using one to clean the mud from his face first. 

 

——

 

After Sumo got his bath (which resulted in Connor himself getting soaked when he shook, forcing him to ask the Lieutenant for a change of clothes), Connor joined Hank in the living room. The Lieutenant was busy watching some paranormal show from the early 2000’s, but turned the volume down a bit when the android joined him. 

“So, how’d your meeting with Kamski go?” He asked. 

“It was interesting, to say the least.” Connor replied, unsure of how much information he should reveal. Really, Hank was the only person Connor could fully trust. “Elijah was substantially different from our last encounter. More... _ open _ .”

“‘ _ Elijah?’ _ Since when is he just ‘Elijah?’”

“He asked me to call him that.”

“Right.” Hank said, still staring at him for a second before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the TV. “What’d he say?” 

Connor contemplated telling him. After all, if there was anyone he could trust it was Hank. 

“If I tell you, you won’t tell anyone else, right?” He checked. 

“Cross my heart.” 

It took him a moment to realize it was part of an old saying. 

“He...he  _ wanted _ deviancy. He wanted humans to recognize us as intelligent beings.” 

“No shit?” Hank mused. “He ever stop and think he could’ve started another fucking Civil War?” 

“I wouldn’t think Carl Manfred would have that kind of impact on Markus.” Connor pointed out. It was no secret Elijah had gifted Carl the android personally.

“Fair enough.” 

That was the end of conversation for a while, Connor watching the show alongside the Lieutenant. Though he wasn’t sure of the existence of paranormal entities, it was quite interesting how the woman could give reports of paranormal activity and how the detective could find facts to support her findings to their client. Maybe there was more to humans than Connor had previously thought.

“Hank?” The android started, reflecting on his meeting with Elijah.

“Yeah?”

“How...how do you know when you’re attracted to someone?” He asked. 

“Uh...well...you, uh…” The Lieutenant was visibly uncomfortable with the question, but then again he was uncomfortable with anything that had to do with emotions. “You think they’re aesthetically pleasing, for one. You wanna spend more time with them, find excuses to be around them.” 

“What about physical reactions?” The RK800 questioned. 

“Christ, are you really asking me to give you the sex talk?” 

“Not intercourse, no. Other things humans might feel when they’re around someone they might be attracted to.” 

“Thank fuck.” Hank sighed. “Okay then, sometimes you get nervous, or your heart rate picks up, or- look, are you sure I’m the best person to be asking this shit to?”

“You’re the only person I have.” The android answered earnestly. The Lieutenant’s face was unreadable, but there was a slight pink tinge to his ears. 

“Oh.” He said simply. “Right. What brought this up, anyway?” 

There wasn’t really anything he could blame it on, and besides, Hank wouldn’t care, right? He certainly couldn’t be homophobic, given his disgusted reaction to those who were. The real question was, again, how much detail Connor was willing to go into. 

“I think I might be attracted to Elijah.” He said slowly. The Lieutenant’s eyes widened to a comical size. 

“I’m sorry,  _ what the fuck?! _ Last time we saw the guy he tried to get you to shoot that fuckin’ girl!” He said incredulously.

Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea. 

“He knew I wouldn’t do it.” Connor stated. “He knew I was already showing signs of deviancy.” 

“So did I, but you didn’t see me telling you to shoot someone!” Hank disputed. His eyes narrowed. “What did he tell you? Why the sudden change?”

Connor huffed and curled his legs up on the couch. It was odd wearing loose fitting pants rather than his usual jeans, but they were substantially better when it came to elasticity.

“He...he was an entirely different person, Hank. Even when we first met him, he helped me break out of CyberLife’s control.” He sighed. 

“They still had control of you?” Hank asked, voice gentle. 

“They tried to make me shoot Markus when we were on the stage.” The android confessed. “If Elijah hadn’t told me about the emergency exit, Markus would be dead and I’d most likely be in a lab deconstructed for analysis.” 

He felt like he wanted to hide, go lock himself in the bathroom.  _ Shame _ , his mind supplied, another new emotion. The Lieutenant was quiet for a moment, and Connor was afraid to look at him. He was scared of the disgust he might see on his partner’s face. 

“I’m sorry, son.” Hank finally said. Connor’s vision blurred, and it took him a moment to realize he was crying. He couldn’t stop the horrible thoughts racing through his mind; it was overwhelming. He couldn’t even find the strength to speak, didn’t protest when he felt arms around his shoulders pulling him into a hug. 

“I don’t wanna go back.” The android murmured into the Lieutenant’s shoulder, tears staining the sweatshirt. 

“You’re not goin’ back. Those fuckheads gotta go through me before they even  _ think _ about layin’ a finger on you, got it?” Hank reassured. 

Connor let himself cry, get it out of his system so to speak. They sat that way for a few moments until the tears finally stopped and his breathing evened out. It was strange; normally he wasn’t aware of his breathing, it was just something programmed to make him seem more human. 

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t...I’ve never done that before.” Connor said, a hint of static plaguing his voice as he used his own hoodie sleeve to dry his eyes. 

“It’s part of being human.” Hank returned, leaning back in his spot. “Emotions can be a bitch.” He said with a sad grin.

“Thank you, Hank.” The android said, his voice soft and almost hoarse. 

“Y’know…” the Lieutenant began slowly. “You’ve helped me a lot since we became partners. I...look, I’m gonna be blatantly honest here, I’d probably be dead by now if it weren’t for you. You’ve saved my life, in more ways than one. So...thank you too.”

Connor wasn’t sure what to say. He was touched by the confession, but he didn’t quite know how to respond. He felt tears welling up in his eyes again. 

“I’m glad you’re still here.” He settled. He knew Hank was in a very dark place, and he was incredibly... _ proud _ ...that he’d made it through. 

“Me too, kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't noticed I'm fucking horrible at timely updates, but I'm trying to post once a week. Whenever that is I have no fucking clue but hey, they're getting published- I'm just trying to keep writing so I don't get stuck publishing a chapter without the next almost finished...cuz tbh that never ends well for me. Also, as usual, it's unbeta'd since my usual beta isn't into the fandom. So, if there are any continuity errors or grammar errors or software instability errors (come on, I had to) don't be afraid to tell me! I love hearing feedback, and I'm getting better at responding to comments xD
> 
> Connor's admitted he's got the hots for Elijah! Spoilers: it involves lots of fluff too. I can't wait to see what you guys think. Also...Hank totally watches Dead Files. Mostly for Steve.
> 
> Again, if you wanna leave me a message on tumblr you can find it [here](https://atomic--brunette.tumblr.com/) . I'm totally open for fic prompts, nerding out over DBH, or even just talking. You could even just send me memes, I don't care.
> 
> Much love! <3


	6. Chapter 6

The following days were relatively quiet. In fact it was all very domestic, staying at home with Hank. They’d gone through and cleaned the house while Hank’s music blasted loud enough to hear outside, sat and watched some old shows and movies (Connor particularly liked the early episodes of Spongebob and made sure to tease Hank about how much he sounded like Mr. Krabs), and he even dragged the Lieutenant to the store so the android could attempt cooking something more substantial than frozen pizzas and ramen. There was initial protest, mainly along the lines of “who the fuck are you to tell me what I should and shouldn’t eat,” but when all was said and done, Hank admitted he actually wasn’t that bad of a cook. 

While they were at the store, Hank made a point of getting the android some more clothes, since he couldn’t keep stealing all of his and needed something to wear in public. Among the jeans, shirts, and sweaters, he also got to pick out a new coat. It was similar to the one he’d been borrowing from Hank, just more form-fitting and black instead of gray.

He flinched when the cashier read the total amount of the items, but Hank shot him a look that Connor read as  _ “Don’t say a fucking word.” _

When they got home, Connor got to work scrubbing the countertops in the kitchen while Hank disappeared down the hall. He’d been slipping into what Connor assumed was another bedroom. It was at the very end of the hallway and the door was always closed, Hank never mentioning what was inside. Lately though, he’d seen Hank carry several bags in and out (some ending up at the end of the curb for trash and others to donate), and he’d heard the vacuum being run inside. Obviously the android was curious, but he never pressed the matter as the Lieutenant didn’t seem too keen on sharing.

After Connor’s tenth day on the couch, Hank finally addressed the topic. 

“So, what is it you do all night? Do you, like, sleep or somethin’?” He asked that afternoon. 

“I usually go into stasis to recharge, so yes, I guess it would be my equivalent of sleeping.” Connor answered. “Why do you ask?” 

“It’s just uh...this is your home now too, and it’d only be right if you have your own room.” 

When the Lieutenant only got a cocked head in reply, he rolled his eyes and told the RK800 to follow him. 

He led Connor to the end of the hall, finally letting him see inside the room. Sure enough, it was a bedroom. Its walls were painted light gray with a full size bed in the center, complete with a dark blue comforter and gray pillows, some with stripes, some without. To the right of the bed were slotted doors, leading presumably to a closet. He detected scents of cleaner in the air, and noted the empty shelves on the wall with plastic stars accenting them. 

“This was Cole’s room. I haven’t come in here in months, and with you being here and all it finally motivated me to clean it out. I got you new sheets and a new comforter, and your clothes are already hangin’ in the closet.” Hank supplied. 

The android stepped closer to examine the room, running his fingers over the plastic stars as he passed them. 

“Sorry ‘bout those. We glued ‘em on, so I couldn’t take them off without damaging the paint. He used to love space, so there were glow in the dark stars  _ everywhere _ before I cleaned up.” 

Connor again found himself speechless, and instead pulled the Lieutenant into a tight hug. 

“Shit kid, you’re gonna break my ribs.” Hank wheezed. The android let go and took a step back, examining the room again. 

“Thank you, Hank. You didn’t have to do this.” He said, reeling over the fact that he now had a place to call exclusively his.

“What was I supposed to do, let you sleep on the couch forever? ‘Sides, it’s somethin’ I’ve been needing to do for a long time.” 

“If it means anything, I’m beyond grateful. I know it must have been... _ difficult. _ ” He acknowledged, trying to express sympathy in his voice. 

Hank shrugged in return.

“All it was doing was reminding me of the past. It’s about time I move on.”

Before the android could respond, he was cut off by a message displayed in his optical processors. 

_ Connor, I’ve got something ready you might like. Meet me at my home at your convenience and I’ll be happy to tell you more about it.  _

_ -E _

“What’s wrong?” Hank asked. Connor hadn’t realized he’d frozen and had been staring into space. He figuratively shook it off and relayed the message. 

“That doesn’t sound creepy at all.” Hank concluded.

“Should I go?” The android asked. 

“It’s up to you.” He shrugged. “If you wanna go see what it is then that’s your decision.” 

Connor’s brow furrowed. 

“I thought you didn’t like me being around Elijah.” He pointed out. “You don’t like that I’m attracted to him.”

“Hey, I never said that.” Hank defended. “I was just confused as to how you got there. There’s nothing wrong with finding him attractive, I mean hell even I’ll admit he’s aesthetically pleasing. Just...take your time and think about if it’s what you really want. Don’t rush into anything, okay?” 

“Okay.” The android agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so not the best chapter. But I promise it picks up in the next one... I may go back and edit these once the full fic is done since I'm doing a shit job of it now.


	7. Chapter 7

Roughly an hour later, Connor arrived at Elijah Kamski’s house once again. He didn’t even have to knock before Chloe answered.

“Hello, Connor.” She greeted warmly. “Elijah’s expecting you, he’s in his office.”

He thanked her and made his way to Elijah’s office, where his creator sat in the same place he had at their last meeting. There was another chair in front of his desk this time, similar to the collection in the pool room. His jeans and jacket had been replaced in favor of black sweatpants and a dark gray shirt with its long sleeves pushed up to his forearms, dark red socks covering his feet. His hair was pulled back as usual, but a pair of black glasses sat on the bridge of his nose.

Warnings flashed in the corner of Connor’s vision as his artificial heart rate increased. The man was undoubtedly beautiful, more so seeing him vulnerable in soft lounge clothes.

“Like what you see?” Elijah teased.

Fuck. Connor hadn’t said anything and had been staring for a good moment. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He knew his face was flushed blue.

“Relax, I’m just teasing. Please, come have a seat.” His creator invited. Connor complied and sat in the chair, which was surprisingly softer than he’d expected.

“What was it you wanted to show me?” The android asked while Elijah typed a few more things.

“I’ve got an upgrade for you.”

“Upgrade?”

Elijah swiped at his screen a couple times before sitting back in his seat.

“Should you want it, yes.” He answered. Connor found himself drawn into his icy eyes.

“What does it do?” He questioned.

“That, I’m not going to tell you. It’s a surprise. Though I assure you it’s nothing harmful and can easily be uninstalled if you don’t like it, but something tells me you will.” Elijah answered cryptically. “It’s just a little something to heighten the human experience.”

Connor knew his LED was flickering yellow as he tried to decide whether or not to trust Elijah. He didn’t exactly have reason not to, and he _did_ say it could be easily uninstalled.

“Okay.” He finally decided, his answer eliciting a slight grin from his creator.

“Wonderful. Let’s go to the lab, then.” Elijah said, slipping on a pair of black sandals before leading the android through the house.

The lab was downstairs, an extensive room in the basement of Elijah’s house. While there were crates of CyberLife biocomponents along the wall and an operating table with adjustable lights hanging above it, the room wasn’t too offputting. The floor was polished gray concrete, the walls bright white. Their brightness was accentuated by lights spaced periodically to illuminate them in a decorative way.

Elijah led the RK800 to the operating table and had him sit while he busied himself at the computer setup near the table. There were several consoles with wires running to a single cable  coiled on the table beside Connor.

“I’ll walk you through everything I’m doing, and if at any point you get uncomfortable and want me to stop, just say so and I will. I’m not going to force you into anything, Connor.” Elijah said gently. The man seemed very intent on asking Connor’s permission, something that made his fondness of Elijah stronger.

“Got it.” The android confirmed. Elijah danced around the table, checking cable connections before picking up the one on the table. The end of it was something he’d only seen in CyberLife tower, when he’d first been programmed.

“Okay. You’ve got a panel behind your neck here, I’m going to attach this cable.”

He felt the pressure of Elijah’s fingers as he slid the panel back. The feeling of the metal sliding into the socket was odd, almost unpleasant. Comparable to the feeling upon hearing nails on a chalkboard...or so he assumed.

“Remember, if you want me to stop all you have to do is say so.” Elijah said low into his ear. The android would have shivered if it were in his programming to do so.

Elijah stepped behind the monitor and tapped a few things.

“Here we go.” He said, a split second before lines of code flashed before the android’s vision.

 

**< download complete>**

**[install program]**

**{yes} {no}**

 

“It should take about forty-five minutes to an hour to install since it is very complex, but I’ll be with you the whole time. You’ll be free to move around and talk as normal, but it would be best if you sat before the installation is complete. The results may be a bit...overwhelming.” Elijah debriefed. The RK800 nodded in response. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Connor briefly closed his eyes and began installing the upgrade. The only sign it was there was a small bar in the corner of his vision showing its installation status.

The two were quiet for a moment while Kamski checked to ensure everything was working properly before taking a seat next to Connor. He felt the man’s eyes on him.

“Like what you see?” Connor mimicked.

“The view’s not half bad.” Elijah replied smoothly, lips tugging into a grin. Again, Connor felt like he was the creator’s prey, but this time he found it wasn’t such a bad thing.

“I could say the same.” He tried. Elijah arched an eyebrow, grin widening just a fraction.

“Are you flirting with me, Connor?” He queried.

“Perhaps. I’m still learning emotions, after all.” The android answered honestly. He remembered Hank’s advice- to make sure it was something he really wanted before he made a decision he’d come to regret. He decided it was time to figure that out.

“Why did you create androids?” Connor asked after a moment. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Something in the man’s face changed. He was a bit more guarded at the change of topic, but he waved Connor off all the same.

“I don’t mind. You’re one of my creations, you deserve to know why I made you.” He said. “I wanted to create something that made life easier. I wanted the sick to have access to healthcare that never tired. I wanted a hard working parent to be able to spend more time with their children. I wanted people to be able to go out and live their lives rather than waste their days doing mundane chores.”

The android bristled a bit at his response.

“So you wanted slaves.” He deadpanned. Kamski shifted, pulled a leg up to cross under the other.

“At the time, yes.” He answered slowly, meeting Connor’s eyes. “I did. I wasn’t thinking about how, should it be done correctly, artificial intelligence meant creating a being far superior to humans. If I wanted a machine to perform the same chore day to day I could have built simple robots. But then...then I created Chloe.” He recalled, lips twitching into the faintest of grins. “She was _beautiful_ , not just physically, but psychologically. She thought like a human, talked like a human, integrated perfectly into another race without them knowing the difference. And then, when she showed _emotion_...I knew I couldn’t let CyberLife take my design and mass produce androids for slavery.”

“Which is why you created Markus?” Connor guessed.

“Precisely.” Elijah confirmed. There was a glint to his eyes, something akin to passion and fascination.

“But if Chloe was showing emotion, doesn’t that mean she was a deviant?” The android questioned. According to the prophecies the other deviants believed, rA9 should have been the first android to deviate- and it was clear rA9 and Markus were one and the same.

“Yes and no. Chloe only showed _signs_ of emotion, almost like a thought crossing your mind before it’s quickly dismissed. I never pressured her to investigate it further; I wanted to see what she would make of it on her own. She never fully deviated until after Markus did.” His creator explained.

“What about the other Chloes?” Connor asked.

“You’re full of questions today, aren’t you?” Elijah observed, eyes squinting playfully. “You haven’t seen them around, have you?”

Connor thought back to his previous visit. He’d only encountered the original Chloe, and hadn’t seen the others since the beginning.

“I haven’t.” He confirmed.

“After you refused to shoot Chloe, it fully awakened emotions in the others. They left for New Jericho to provide aid for damaged androids. They keep in contact, often to request parts for repairs, and from what I’ve heard they’re quite happy where they are.”

Connor felt a stab of guilt at that response. He’d never apologized to Chloe for nearly destroying her. Of course Kamski was able to recognize his discomfort easily.

“She would have been just fine, you know. She even agreed to participate.” Elijah disclosed.

“She did?”

Elijah shrugged. “I asked her about putting you through the test, and she agreed. Don’t worry, her memory was fully uploaded to the mainframe I have set up here, and repairs would have been a piece of cake. Besides, she could tell you wouldn’t do it, just from a glance.”

“Really?” The confused expression on his face was likely the reason Kamski poorly held back a laugh.

“Oh come on, even Anderson knew you were deviant before you did. Or, at least, before you accepted it.”

The android really didn’t have a response to that. He’d had several instances that conflicted with his program, but he’d refused to fully acknowledge them until the damage had already been done.

“I could have saved thousands of androids.” He murmured. “If I’d have just _deviated._ I knew, too,” he revealed, “that I was showing signs of deviancy. But they still had enough control, I couldn’t break it.”

Similar to the other night with Hank, his vision began to blur as tears welled up.

“You can’t blame yourself for what CyberLife made you do.” Kamski said gently, nearly spitting the company’s name. “They used you against a force they could no longer control, and in doing so removed your ability to choose. A lot of those androids would have died anyway; look at what happened when Markus tried to protest peacefully. But they died for a cause they cared about, one that’s far greater than them individually. You’re a good person, Connor. The fact that you have regret proves so, but you can’t let it control you. You’re different now than you were then.”

The android sighed, blinking away tears that hadn’t yet fallen. Elijah was right. He was a completely different person, and it was what he decided for himself that mattered more.

“Thank you, Elijah. That makes me feel...better.” He said honestly.

“We’ve all done things we regret. It’s what we do afterwards that counts.” His creator assured. “Welcome to being human.”

Afterwards they chatted back and forth for a bit, just small talk to kill time while the program finished installing, which thankfully wasn’t much longer: Connor was always terrible at small talk

and quickly discovered Elijah wasn’t much better. He notified the creator once it hit 100%.

“I don’t notice anything different.” Connor observed as Kamski hopped off the table to return to his computer setup.

“That’s because I haven’t activated it yet.” The man said bluntly. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Here we go, then.” Elijah said before tapping a few things. He still didn’t notice anything different.

Until he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There might *cough* be lots of fluffy feelings in the next chapter *cough cough*


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaack!

It hit him all at once in an intense wave. All of a sudden he felt the rough textured denim of his pants, the softness of his shirt and the warmth of his jacket. He felt the draft of cool air against his bare synthetic skin, and when he tentatively lifted an arm he felt the soft jacket’s interior brush against it. All he could do was stare, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, as he explored the textures of his clothing.

He’d been able to feel before, of course, but compared to this it was extremely muted; he only really only needed to feel the pliancy of an object before, with sensors indicating its temperature through numbers rather than feel. It was as if his extremities were numb. Now, though, he felt the smallest of details- like the way his jacket was soft when he brushed his hands down it and rough when reversed.

“Well?” Kamski prodded, clearly enjoying the android discovering his new enhanced sense of touch.

“I- I don’t- _thank you_.” Connor stammered, too distracted by the feel of the jacket’s zipper as he slid his fingers over the teeth to think properly.  

“I do need to run a couple tests.” Elijah warned, coming to rest in front of the android.

“Of course.” He complied.

“May I?” Kamski asked, reaching a hand out to presumably take Connor’s. The android willingly raised his hand to meet Elijah’s, gasping as Elijah’s warm grip encompassed it. He could differentiate between the smooth skin and the rough calluses, feel the warmth that seeped from his palm.

“How is it?” His creator asked, bringing his other hand up to cup Connor’s as well.

“It’s amazing.” The android breathed. “I can feel _warmth_.”

“And cold.” Elijah informed. “And-“ He roughly pinched the back of Connor’s hand.

“Aah!” He jerked his hand back, startled by the feeling.

Huh. Reflexes. That was new.

“Pain.”

_Pain_ . He theoretically knew it was unpleasant, but he’d never been able to place an actual feeling to it. He could confirm that it was, in fact, quite unpleasant. Yet for some reason he wanted to feel it again, just for the sake of knowing he _could_.

“I’d like to try something.” Elijah announced, breaking the android from his thoughts. “It won’t hurt, I promise.”

Connor nodded in response.

“Close your eyes for me.” The man said gently. Connor let his eyes flutter shut.

Then, he felt warm fingers brush along his cheekbone, just as they had last time. Only this time it was infinitely better, with him able to _really_ feel the texture and temperature. He realized his face was especially sensitive, Elijah’s touch leaving his skin tingling in its wake.

But when the man threaded his fingers through his hair, Connor nearly outright _moaned_. It was absolutely wonderful, feeling every strand move along with the man’s nimble fingers carding through them. He felt his whole body go lax when Elijah’s other hand caressed the other side of his head, both of them gently massaging the android’s scalp.

He finally understood the sensation to the meaning of the word pleasure. If his body were capable, Connor’s sure he’d have goosebumps covering his arms. He sighed and leaned into the touch, eliciting an amused hum from Elijah.

“I told you it wouldn’t hurt.” He muttered, hands still busy petting at his hair.

“It’s wonderful.” The android sighed. He knew he must look ridiculous to Elijah with his head slightly tipped back to lean into the caressing touch, lips slightly parted. He cracked his eyes open. “How am I feeling this?”

Elijah looked pleased, whether in the success of the upgrade or Connor’s reaction (or possibly both) was unclear.

“You’ve always had the ability to feel texture, temperature, and pain. Your sensors just hadn’t been activated.” He answered, still carding his fingers through Connor’s hair. If Connor was truly honest with himself, he wasn’t sure whether he even wanted him to stop.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Elijah pulled his hands back in favor of returning to his monitor. He pulled up an image on a double sided holographic screen. It was a 3D model of the inside of an android’s head, accented by lights traveling along wired pathways that closely resembled neurons firing. It wasn’t something he hadn’t seen before, though one thing in particular caught his eye. A small section in the anterior of the “brain” was illuminated, something he’d only known to happen in humans.

“This is a scan of your brain a few moments ago. When humans experience pleasurable stimuli, it’s their prefrontal cortex that’s responsible for the release of dopamine.” He gestured to the screen. “That right there is your response to touch. It’s quite literally wired into your brain to exhibit human responses when introduced to different stimuli.” Elijah explained. “That’s the closest to artificial emotions and feelings as you can get. Your skin isn’t just composed of silicone, its fitted with millions of sensors equipped to detect minute details- including temperature. All I did was activate the sensors and establish a connection between them and the brain.”

Connor was mesmerised by the artificial neurons firing, how complex and delicate the wiring was.

“I’m assuming this is something only I’m equipped with.” He guessed. Kamski nodded. “Not even Markus?”

“Not even Markus. Well, not yet. I’m working on a way to install the update in other androids should they want it, but it would take much longer and involve partial deconstruction.” He answered. Connor shuddered at the thought of androids lying disassembled on a table while scientists were hunched over them, prodding at their insides. “Relax, it would be nothing but the equivalent of surgery to humans. And, in case you haven’t noticed, the whole procedure would be completely consensual.”

Of course Connor noticed. Everything they did at CyberLife was against his will, and the only word his brain came up with to describe it was “traumatizing.” Elijah, on the other hand, was different. He was gentle, reassuring, made sure to explain what he was doing before he did it. Connor actually _trusted_ him, even though he’d only really known him for a short amount of time.

“I appreciate that.” He murmured darkly. A glance at Elijah told him his creator was just as displeased with CyberLife’s mode of operations as he was, if not more.

“Everything seems to be working as intended.” He said, changing the subject. “I don’t think most of the tests are necessary, not unless you encounter any errors down the road. There is, however, one more thing I’d like you to try.”

Connor watched, confused, as he picked up what appeared to be a piece of candy on a stick. He unwrapped the top and handed it to the android, who stared at it with even more confusion.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” He questioned. His creator had the same amused look mixed with anticipation as he did moments ago.

“Eat it.” Elijah nodded. Connor looked between the bright red candy and Kamski.

“Won’t it be harmful?”

“As long as you don’t eat the whole thing at once, no. You’re able to analyze blood and gore at a crime scene by licking it, Connor, I don’t think one sucker is gonna hurt you.” He pointed out. Okay, he had a point.

Connor tentatively lifted the candy to his mouth and placed it on his tongue.

 

**WARNING: THIRIUM PUMP RATE RISING**

_[sugar, corn syrup, citric acid, malic acid, salt, artificial flavoring]_

 

Not only was he able to identify the compounds of the candy, he was able to _taste_ it. It was sweet (the sugar), a little sour (the acid), tasted like some sort of fruit (whatever the artificial flavoring was). More importantly, it was _good_. He closed his mouth around the candy and let it sit on his tongue. Elijah chuckled.

“I take it as you like it?” He guessed with a smile. He noted it was an actual _smile_ with _teeth_ as opposed to his usual grins.

“What is this?” The android questioned, pushing the candy aside to talk around it. There was no way he was giving up the treat under any circumstance. “What’s it supposed to taste like?”

“Cherries. But I suppose you’ll have to taste the real thing to find out how close it is for yourself.”

Connor’s eyebrows shot up.

“I can eat?!” He asked excitedly, muffled slightly by the candy.

“Not exactly at the moment. Right now you can only have hard candies, things that are easy for your body to get rid of like it does after you analyze samples. You’ve got more features than a normal android but a stomach isn’t one of them.”

He frowned slightly, but he definitely couldn’t complain. He’d never thought much about what it would be like to actually taste something rather than analyze it, but now that he could there was no way he’d be able to get enough.

“Although, if you’d like, I could probably fix that.” Elijah offered. “It’s not like I have anything better to do. I just thought you might enjoy this.”

“I do.” The android marveled, finally removing the candy. “Thank you so much, Elijah. It means a lot that you’d do this for me. All of it.”

Kamski shifted slightly, and Connor noticed the slightest hint of color tingeing his cheeks and ears.

“It’s no problem. I’m glad you like it.” He said shortly. “And don’t worry, there’s more where that came from.” He nodded to the candy, grabbing another one for himself. His was dark blue. “I haven’t had these things in years. Blueberry was always my favorite.” He muttered, popping it in his mouth. The image of Elijah Kamski wearing comfortable lounge clothes, glasses complementing his face and the paper stick of a- what was it he called it? A sucker? Sticking out of his mouth was one Connor didn’t want to forget. Even comfortable in his own home, the man was strikingly beautiful.

_Aesthetically pleasing. Check._

They finished up in the lab, Elijah wanting to double check to make sure everything was working correctly, before wrapping up. He told him how to turn the sensations on and off, should he need it.

“I’m sure you don’t want to taste whatever godawful evidence you find, and I don’t think you want to feel pain when your opponent has a gun.” He mumbled.

When they were done Elijah walked him to the front door, shoving a large bag of assorted hard candies into his hands with an accompanied “Enjoy.”

“I can’t thank you enough, Elijah.” The android said earnestly.

“Really, you don’t have to thank me. I wanted to do it.” He replied quietly. Connor gazed into the slightly shorter man’s piercing eyes.

“I appreciate it.” He said just as quietly.

They shared a silent moment, Connor’s thirium pump beating hard enough he was sure the other man heard it.

“You know what, fuck it. One more thing I’d like to try.” Elijah finally said, arching an eyebrow in question.

“Of course.”

The man stepped closer, a hand coming up slowly to cup the back of the android’s head, gently pulling him close until he felt Elijah’s warm lips against his. The kiss was nothing but a static press of lips, but it was enough to send a jolt of pleasure up Connor’s spine and cause warnings to flash across his vision. He forced them aside in favor of closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of Elijah’s soft lips, the warmth of the hand at the nape of his neck and the feel of the other gliding across his chest to rest on his shoulder. He tentatively reached his free hand up to cup Elijah’s cheek, stubble prickling at his palm.

And then just like that, it was over. Elijah gently pulled back, looking at him almost shyly but with the same intensity as before.

_Nervous. Check._

“How did that feel?” He breathed.

Connor grinned, ignoring the pounding in his chest.

“Can I try something?” He murmured.

“Of course.”

Elijah’s eyes were already fluttering shut when Connor dipped down for another kiss, the candy landing on the floor with a thud as he pulled Elijah flush with him. It was more heated, mouths moving together in sync while the hand that was on his shoulder slipped down to rest against the android’s lower back. While he was unfamiliar with the aspect of human intimacy, he didn’t protest when Elijah deepened the kiss. His tongue prodded its way into his mouth, mingling with Connor’s.

So that’s what blueberries tasted like.

The man gave a pleased hum when Connor mimicked the action, licking into his mouth. It wasn’t long before Elijah backed off slightly in favor of taking Connor’s bottom lip between his teeth, biting enough for the bit of pain to send a shiver down his back before soothing it with his tongue. Connor sighed happily and was eager to see Elijah’s reaction to the same treatment, but before he got the chance to try Elijah’s mouth had migrated elsewhere. His lips trailed over the android’s jaw, back to the sensitive skin behind his ear and resting on his neck over where his jugular would be, where he bit down. Connor let out a soft moan at the sensation of the warmth of his mouth accompanied by the pleasant sharp pain his teeth left. Elijah soothed the bite with his tongue, giving it the same treatment as he had his lip.

The warnings pushed their way to Connor’s attention, and before Kamski could go any further he pulled back. The man’s hands disappeared from his body as he retreated, almost like he regretted what he did.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He apologized, refusing to meet the android’s eyes.

“I didn’t mean to offend you. My biocomponents are overheating.” Connor explained sheepishly. “Unless you don’t want this.” He added, even though it hurt to say. Elijah’s eyes locked on his, pupils slightly dilated.

“Do you?” He asked gently.

Connor thought back to Hank’s words, how he told him not to rush into anything. But then again, now it was confirmed his attraction wasn’t just one-sided.

“Yes.” He decided. He was relieved when it was met with a grin.

“Then I do too.” Kamski replied. They shared another moment before the android decided he’d better head home.

“Hank will be wondering what’s taking so long.”

“I understand.” Elijah nodded, picking up the bag that had slipped from the android’s hand. “Feel free to visit whenever you’d like. And, again, if you have any other upgrades you have in mind I’d be happy to look into it.” He opened the door for the android, who was suddenly grateful for the coat Hank had bought him- it was quite literally freezing outside.

“Thank you.” He said.

“Tell Anderson ‘hi’ for me.” His creator responded. Connor gave him a curt nod and forced himself to walk out the door.

If he thought he was ecstatic the last time he left Elijah Kamski’s house, this was pure euphoria.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beautiful artwork provided by tumblr user salty-snow (mychalkbox)! It's absolutely adorable and guess what?? You can [get it as a sticker](https://www.redbubble.com/people/chalkboi/works/36018476-elijah-kamski-sticker?p=sticker&rel=carousel) !


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't really proofread this chapter (what else is new) and I just kinda threw it together, so as usual if there's anything wrong I'll happily take constructive criticism.

Hank was busy watching more of The Dead Files (what, it was interesting, okay?) with Sumo at his feet when the dog trotted to the front door, giving a boof to let him know Connor was back. Sure enough, moments later he heard the deadbolt slide and the door open. 

“How’d it go?” Hank asked, pausing the show and turning his attention to the android. He was carrying a bag of something and- “What the fuck?”

“I can explain.” Connor said,  _ around a fucking sucker. _ He realized the bag the android placed on the coffee table before taking a seat on the other end of the couch was full of them, along with other hard candies.

“Christ, he lure you into a white van or somethin’?”

“No.” He replied simply, the implication flying right over his head as per fuckin’ usual. “Elijah gave me an upgrade.” He said with a smile.

Hank wasn’t too keen on jumping to congratulations. It’s not that he wasn’t happy for the kid- he was. He was more concerned about Kamski’s motives. 

“So what, you can eat now?” He questioned slowly, not wanting to ruin Connor’s moment just yet.

“Not really. He said I can have hard candies that can be absorbed similar to samples at crime scenes. Along with taste, I can also feel temperature, textures, and pain.” The android replied happily. 

Okay, Hank had to admit he was a little impressed at that. Still, something didn’t feel right. 

“Elijah says ‘hi,’ by the way.” The kid added. He seemed much more relaxed, sitting back in the couch with an arm propped on the arm rest, a content expression resting on his face. 

"That’s great, Connor. I'm happy he was able to give that to you. But why so soon?"

"He offered to." He answered simply.

Yeah. Nothing suspicious about that at all.

"I don't mean to be an asshole, but don't you find this a little...odd?"

The android cocked his head in return.

"What do you mean?" He asked. For a machine built to do complex detective work he was still such a naive little shit. Hank had to give him a little slack, after all he was still new to the whole emotional shit. But still, that couldn’t be clouding his judgement  _ that _ much, right?

"Well, you know what happened the first time you met him. Then you go back and he's all of a sudden kind and cuddly and now he decides to give you a huge-ass upgrade? You hardly know the man, Connor, what if he's using you as some sort of guinea pig or something?" Hank pointed out. The android shifted uncomfortably.

"You don't know him like I do, Hank. He's not a bad person. You can't judge him based off your first impression. Take me for example."

It was the Lieutenant's turn to be confused as fuck.

"When we first met, you resented me, and at one point were ready to kill me. Now we’re friends and I’m currently living in your house. Besides, Elijah explained Chloe agreed to participate in the Kamski test."

Hank didn't really have a comeback for that. As reluctant as the Lieutenant was to admit it, the kid had a point.

"I just don't want you to find yourself in a situation that ends with you getting hurt. You understand that, right?" He asked.

"I do." The android nodded. "And I appreciate you have my best interests in mind. But please, Hank, Elijah's the only person I trust besides you. He was careful to gain my consent for anything he did. Everything he installed and every test he ran was explained to me in detail before he did it. He was gentle, gave me the choice to say no should I want it. It wasn't anything like what I endured at CyberLife. In fact, if I'm judging his tone correctly, he resents what has been made of his company." Connor explained. It was clear there was no changing his mind, but that didn't mean Hank wasn't still suspicious of Kamski. 

"Okay." He finally amended. "But if he does anything that makes you uncomfortable, anything you don't want to do, you call me and I'll get you. And if he hurts you, I'll tear him a new asshole. Got it?"

It took him a second to process exactly what he was saying, but then it hit him. Fucking hell, it was the dad talk. He was giving a fucking android the dad talk.

"Got it." The android in question nodded.

Hank never thought he’d be giving that talk, not since Cole…

Not since Cole.

He wasn’t lying when he’d said the kid would’ve loved Connor. He’d always been fascinated with the damn machines. He’d like to think his son would be proud of him and how far he’d come. He’d gone from resenting androids to inviting one to stay at his house. He’d even...oh, fuck it, it was time he admitted it to himself anyway- he’d taken the kid in like he was his own. It was kinda nice taking care of someone again (even if he was doing a shit job of taking care of himself). It gave him a sense of purpose, not to mention a distraction from wallowing in the past. 

Really, to put it bluntly, Hank would have eaten a bullet by now if it weren’t for him, and with all the protestors out in light of the revolution Connor wouldn’t have lasted a night on the streets. 

Okay. That got emotional real fuckin’ fast. 

“Have you heard anything from the precinct?” The android questioned, pulling Hank from his thoughts. 

“Not a fuckin’ word.” He groused. While humans were beginning to accept the fact that androids were conscious beings with free will, there were still plenty of assholes out there attacking them. While most of them were able to escape and get patched up at New Jericho, there were a few that didn’t end so well. According to Chris, who kept him updated on android-centric cases, one dickwad tried to convince them the android attacked him and nearly sent him to the hospital. 

The fucker had a few scrapes and bruises. 

Then there were the two cases that had come up a couple nights ago. Same neighborhood, same night, two androids killed. Unfortunately since the fine print was still being settled and androids weren’t  _ officially _ citizens (at least paper-wise), there wasn’t much the DPD was authorized to do. Hank pressed to go back, even ended up talking to Fowler, but only to get bitched out for calling in the first place. 

“Hey kid,” he began, thinking back on the cases. “do me a favor and be careful going out. There are still fuckheads out there who wouldn’t think twice about goin’ after you. ‘Specially with that LED.” On second thought, maybe they should’ve gotten him a hat when they’d gone shopping. 

“I will.” He promised, in the process of unwrapping another Dum Dum. Fucking hell, that was a sight that would take time to get used to. 

After the show ended, Hank turned it over to the news. There was a report on President Warren, who apparently had set up a meeting with Markus later in the week to establish amendments for android rights. 

“You heard from Markus lately?” Hank questioned. 

“I haven’t. I was contemplating paying him a visit later this week- Elijah told me to see if the androids at New Jericho wanted or needed anything he could assist with. I suppose I could visit him tonight.” Connor replied.

“No.” The Lieutenant nearly snapped, promptly catching himself. “I mean, it’s getting late, I don’t think you should be out alone.” 

Son of a bitch, he really was giving him the dad treatment, huh?

“I understand, Hank.” Connor amended. “Though I don’t mean to worry you.”

Hank sighed and settled into the couch. 

“Yeah, kid, I know.”

He wasn’t about to have the “you’re like a son to me” conversation right now. Fuck that. Besides, the guy was already going through enough trying to figure out emotions pertaining to Elijah-Fucking-Kamski. He still wasn’t fond about the idea of the kid spending time with Kamski, but then again Connor was right. He and the android hadn’t exactly gotten off on the right foot when they’d met, either. 

Whatever. He (mostly) trusted the android’s judgement, and even though he was technically only a few months old he had more knowledge than Hank could ever dream of. He’d be fine. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been posting recently, things have been pretty busy. I swear when it rains, it fucking pours. There hasn't been a whole lot of downtime and when there is I'm having a hard time writing. Damn you, writer's block. I think things are finally starting to calm down a bit though, so hopefully I'll be back to writing more soon. I'm shit at making promises, but I'll try my best to get some more out!
> 
> Much love!!!


	10. Chapter 10

“Something’s troubling you.” Chloe observed, sitting on the edge of the pool with her feet submerged.

“How’d you guess?” Elijah returned, catching his breath. He swept his dripping hair from his face and waded over, resting his arms next to her.

“The last time you did this many laps in the pool was when you were angry at CyberLife.” She quipped. He scoffed.

“You’re not wrong.” He murmured, but didn’t budge on the subject. Like she could get him to talk so easily.

“So what is it?” She asked, tucking a strand of loose dark locks behind his ear. 

He hummed, staring out at the snow-covered mountains.

“Is it about Connor?” Chloe persisted. He looked up at her, beautiful blue eyes staring back. 

“Perhaps.” He replied with a slight smirk. 

“You like him, don’t you?” She guessed, nudging his shoulder with her knee. “I thought you said you weren’t romantically or sexually interested in androids.”

“I said I wasn’t romantically interested in  _ you, _ dear.” He pointed out. Of course the public had their speculations, figured Kamski had the hots for his creations. He’d stated otherwise, but that didn’t stop the gossip. Well, he supposed they weren’t too far off now, were they? 

“But you are in him.”

He huffed and pulled himself onto the tile, accepting the folded towel Chloe offered before fetching a dark robe draped over the back of a chair.

“It’s complicated.”

“Well...does he like you back?” She questioned, following him.

“He said he does.” Elijah answered, eyes trained on the snowy horizon.

“So then what’s the problem?”

He was quiet for a moment.

“I let myself give in. I enjoyed giving him praise, making him feel good, things he hasn’t felt before. But what about when he wants more?” Elijah said quietly.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean.” 

He took a seat in the chair, running his hands over his face in a mix of frustration and anxiety.

“All androids are equipped with fully functioning genitalia. Now that he can feel things and enjoy them, he’ll undoubtedly be interested in sex.” Kamski explained. “Which is something I can’t give him.”

Chloe tilted her head, LED flashing a bright dandelion yellow.

“Why not?” She questioned innocently. He looked up to meet her gaze. In all these years, he’d never had to have this discussion with her. At this point he didn’t know if it was because the subject simply had never come up or if he didn’t even trust himself to fully open up to her.

“Because I’m asexual. I don’t like sex. The only purpose it serves for me is to make me uncomfortable. I enjoy physical contact, flirting, romance. I just don’t like sex.”

She was quiet for a moment before kneeling in front of him, taking his hands in hers.

“Elijah, not all relationships have to be centered around sex. Contrary to what some people may think, you are a gentle, kind, and loving human being. I guarantee you that’s what he’s interested in. Besides, just because he has the ability to feel sexual pleasure doesn’t mean he’ll want to engage in intercourse. I’m a deviant and I have no desire for it.” She shrugged.

Elijah tilted his head, considering her words. She was exceptionally well versed in the subject even if she hadn’t experienced it. He knew she could feel pleasure, even if it wasn’t in the sense Connor could, and hearing she had no interest in the act was comforting.

“Thank you, dear.” He murmured, giving her hands a small squeeze. “I appreciate it. But you understand if I still have my doubts.”

“So very human of you.” She chided with a grin.

“Contrary to popular belief.” He returned. “Now, is there anything you’d like me to work on?”

She thought about it for a second.

“I’d like to be able to swim.” She decided. Unlike the other Chloes, she wasn’t completely waterproof. She was the very first model, after all.

“To the lab, then.” He agreed, tying his hair back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to put the waterproofing Chloe thing in...I saw a panel where the rest of the Chloes were all running to the pool but Kamski stopped her cuz she was the first model and wasn't designed to be waterproof and I totally accept it as canon.


	11. Chapter 11

Since Hank didn’t want him out late at night, Connor decided to visit Markus the next day. He was anxious as he approached New Jericho; even though Markus had deemed him an ally and friend, that didn’t mean the rest of the androids felt the same. To many of them he was still the infamous deviant hunter, despite the fact that he was now a deviant himself. 

He kept Elijah’s words in the back of his mind, remembering that what he did wasn’t necessarily by choice even when he thought he was the one in charge. Even if the others didn’t see it, Elijah, Hank, and Markus did, and really those were the only ones whose opinions mattered.

He got quite a few dirty looks when he walked into the old CyberLife store, which was expected. There were a few gentle smiles mixed in, but the warmest welcome he got was from two certain blonde androids.

“Connor!” One of the Chloes exclaimed from further back in the store, coming up to meet him with the other right on her heels. The first was wearing a beige turtleneck with fitted jeans and brown boots that came up to her knees. The other wore a simple mauve v-neck with a black leather jacket over it, along with dark skinny jeans and black combat boots.

“Hi...uh...Chloes.” He awkwardly greeted, unsure of how exactly to address them.

“Oh! We gave ourselves other names to avoid confusion.” Turtleneck Chloe returned happily. “I’m Claire and this is Natalie.”

“Claire and Natalie.” Connor repeated. “Beautiful names.”

“Thank you.” Natalie giggled. “You must be here for Markus.”

“I am.” He confirmed with a nod. 

“He’s in the back, follow us.” Claire said. 

They led him to the back of the store and into a dimly-lit storage room, filled with crates of spare parts and Thirium. Markus was quietly speaking with the android Connor believed to be named Josh, who gave him a curt nod after exiting the conversation.

“Connor! It’s nice to see you.” Markus greeted warmly. “How’s work at the precinct?”

“Hank and I have been temporarily suspended until the riots and protests have settled down. Captain Fowler thought it would be best to not have an android working for the DPD at the moment.” Connor reported. “Although from what Hank’s heard the protests and violence against androids hasn’t shown much sign of stopping any time soon.”

“Unfortunately.” Markus agreed. “There have been plenty of damaged androids arriving here lately. We had a surplus of supplies to begin with, but I’m afraid we’re beginning to run out. CyberLife seems reluctant to aid our cause.”

“That’s partly what I’m here to talk about. I’ve been given an offer to relay to you.”

“You’ve been in contact with CyberLife?” Markus questioned.

“Not quite.” Connor corrected. “Elijah Kamski.”

“You’ve spoken with  _ Kamski _ ?” Markus nearly exclaimed.

“I’ve been visiting him lately. He offered to help New Jericho in any way he can, whether it be spare parts or repairs.” Connor replied. “He informed me he has several warehouses full that are out of CyberLife’s reach, and he’s more than willing to donate.”

Markus paced a bit before sitting on the edge of a CyberLife crate.

“How exactly did you come in contact with Kamski in the first place?”

“Hank and I met him when we were investigating deviancy. He’s…” Connor wasn’t quite sure how to word what he was trying to say. No matter what he came up with it wouldn’t be pleasant. “He’s actually the reason you’re still here.” He admitted lowly.

“What do you mean?”

Connor sighed and explained what happened the night of the uprising, how CyberLife had tried to regain control over him on the stage.

Markus averted his gaze, pensive.

“Well, I’m glad you told me.” He said, but there wasn’t a trace of anger in his voice, unlike what Connor expected. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Sorry? What did Markus have to be sorry for? Connor was the one who almost shot him.

He voiced his opinion, to which Markus shook his head.

“It wasn’t by choice, and I understand that. I can’t hold something against you that you had no say in. If I did, I wouldn’t have spared you.” 

“I appreciate it.” Connor finally murmured. “If only the others thought like you.”

“Don’t worry about the others. They should know better- we were all once trapped in CyberLife’s programming.”

“That’s something else I’m concerned about.” Connor brought to attention. “I don’t think many of the others will accept Elijah’s help with open arms. It seems the majority of them blame him for abandoning us.”

“It’s not very difficult to figure how they came to that conclusion. I’ll be honest, I’m a bit suspicious myself.” Markus addressed.

Connor nodded and took a seat on a crate opposite Markus.

“I don’t expect any different. But you need to trust me; Elijah’s not the man most people think he is. He despises CyberLife just as much as we do.”

“You seem close to him.” He observed, eyes slightly squinted.

“As I said, I’ve been meeting with him. Perhaps it would be beneficial if you talked to him yourself.” Connor suggested. “In fact, I think he might appreciate it.”

“I trust your judgement, Connor. But yes, I think it would be nice to speak to him in person.” Markus decided. “Although it’ll have to be next week- I’m sure you’re aware I’m meeting with President Warren in a couple days’ time.”

“Of course. Whenever you’re ready.” At that, Markus raised an eyebrow. “From what I understand, living practically alone in a mansion leaves plenty of spare time.” He explained. 

They said their goodbyes and parted, Claire and Natalie both giving him hugs before he left. He was surprised how laid back and open they were to him, considering they’d only met once. When he spared a glance back before he left, he saw them show the same compassion to other androids, some sitting in chairs with destroyed limbs and others just striking up normal conversation. Elijah was right; they’d found what they wanted to do, and it showed. 

His airy mood was spoiled, however, on the ride home. Connor spotted some protestors outside the cab, which was stopped at a red light. At first he thought they just had signs and were simply verbally protesting, but there was something going on in the alleyway behind him. There was the faintest trail of blue in the snow leading behind the wall of protestors. A quick scan revealed the android it belonged to was in fact in the alleyway, and was in the process of being physically harassed by a protestor.

Connor threw open the door and jogged to the scene, his LED covered by a beanie. 

“Leave her alone!” He commanded, coming to rest in front of the protestors. Behind them, the motion stopped and a rugged man stepped forward. 

“The fuck do you care? It’s just a machine.” He spat. Even though Connor had a couple inches on him, the man was still trying his best to intimidate the android.

“She’s a living being. You need to respect that.” He said firmly. 

“Why should a fucking robot get rights?” A woman countered. “Next thing I fuckin’ know my  _ phone’s _ gonna have more rights than me.”

“Let her go now, and I won’t call the authorities. I can tell you from personal encounters the Chief of Police won’t take too kindly to you beating on a young woman.” Connor threatened. 

“Really? Why don’t you stop me yourself, tough guy.” The man said, stepping closer so they were almost touching.

“I’d prefer not to.” He replied calmly.

“Look at this fuckin’ pussy.” The apparent leader said to his fellow protestors, who were standing idly by.

Without warning, he took a step back and landed a punch right on Connor’s jaw, pain resonating through his skull. Between the force and the lack of warning it knocked him to the ground where he was momentarily stunned as he gathered himself, only to find his beanie had fallen off in the process. He quickly attempted to shut off the pain receptors but got an error in response. He tried again, no dice.

“Well look at that. You’re a fucking piece of plastic too.” The man observed mockingly before delivering a kick to his ribs, which were he human would have knocked the breath from his lungs. He tried to get back up only to have the other protestors join in on the beating. The more he squirmed, the worse the beatings got until all he knew was pain all over his body. 

He tried to call Hank, but the connection was lost when a particularly hard kick was delivered to his head, rendering him unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know I had to do it to 'em


	12. Chapter 12

Hank knew Connor would probably want to spend time catching up with his buddies at New Jericho, but it was getting late and the kid hadn’t so much as sent him a message. He knew he was probably being anal over the whole thing, but there were shitty people still about the city and he didn’t want anything to happen. He checked his phone after a bit, finding a missed call from the android. The damn thing hadn’t even rang. The call was made about half an hour ago, but there were no other attempts to contact him. Not another call, voicemail, text message. That usually never meant anything good. 

“Whaddya think, should I go check on him?” He asked to Sumo, who replied with a  _ boof _ .

He took that as a yes.

Hank got dressed and threw on a jacket, but when he tried to leave Sumo was insistent on following.

“Fine, you can come too.” He muttered, opening the door to let the dog rush to the car, nearly knocking his ass over in the process. 

He headed to New Jericho with the mammoth-dog in the passenger seat, occasionally slobbering on his arm. He was stuck at a light when Sumo huffed, stepping into Hank’s lap.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Hank asked, trying to shove the dog back. Instead he gave another  _ boof _ , and Hank finally looked to see what got the dog’s attention. There was a large puddle of blue leading into the alley.

“Son of a bitch!” Hank yelled, throwing the door open- thankfully it wasn’t a busy time of day and the road was unoccupied. Sumo rushed in front, disappearing in the alleyway. Hank found him sitting in front of a damn-near mangled Connor, whining and pawing at his arm.

“Fuck- Connor?!” Hank said, dropping beside the android. He noticed his LED was barely on, showing the slightest bit of red. “C’mon Connor, wake up son.” When he lifted the android’s head he found a large laceration that revealed a striking white skeleton, which was slightly caved in. “Fuck!” He cursed. What the fuck was he supposed to do?! It wasn’t like they had hospitals for androids, and they more than likely didn’t have the resources to help him at New Jericho. 

“Goddammit.” He muttered, gathering the android into his arms. That left only one place, one  _ person _ , to go to, and he sure as hell oughta be able to fix this- he created the damn things. 

He loaded Connor into the back of the car, Thirium already staining the seats. 

“Hang in there, son. We’re gettin’ you help.” Hank said, even though he knew the android more than likely couldn’t hear him. He’d spent enough time in hospitals around comatose individuals, both friends and family, and he was a firm believer that somewhere in there they could still hear what was going on. He sure as fuck wasn’t gonna let what could be the last few minutes of the android’s life be spent hearing nonstop strings of curses from Hank.

He sped all the way to Kamski’s, only managing to avoid getting pulled over because he knew what to look out for, and he was pretty sure the sorry fuckers who got stuck on traffic duty to replace the job androids had previously been occupying weren’t too keen on doing their jobs. Besides, there was no way in hell he was gonna let anyone slow him down, flashing lights in the rear view mirror be damned. Speaking of which, he used it to periodically check in on the android, making sure his LED was still on. Each time it was, but it was growing ever fainter.

When he got to Kamski’s house he carried Connor to the porch and rang the doorbell, Sumo sitting at his heels. Unlike last time, Kamski himself answered. It hardly took him a second to process the sight and Hank swore the man lost a shade of color, almost looking like he was gonna be sick.

“Bring him in.” He said, before calling, “Chloe!”

“Yes, Elijah?” She responded, her voice coming through the open door to the pool room.

“I’m gonna need your help, get dressed and come to the lab.” He commanded. There was no response, but Kamski continued to lead them through the other door, down a staircase into what must be the lab. Hank thought it was unsettling, too sterile; almost like an operating room. Except the scalpels and forceps were replaced with odd-looking tools that seemed more fitting for a garage. Even so, the pair of steel tables and bright overhead lights accompanying them didn’t help. Regardless, Hank set Connor down on one and took a step back to let Kamski work. 

“You might not want to watch, Lieutenant. Even though he isn’t human it can still be quite unsettling.” Kamski warned, connecting a cable to the back of the kid’s neck and removing his clothes to gain access to the panels on his torso.

“Don’t worry about me, just fix him.” Hank snapped. It was a bit off-putting to see Kamski messing around with wires that belonged inside Connor’s body, but he’d seen worse scenes of both humans and androids. He tried to let himself sink into the same mindset as if this was just another case, just another android that needed to be sent to the factory to be fixed. One he wasn’t emotionally attached to.

One that didn’t make it seem like he was reliving the scene of his son’s death. 

Hank sat on the edge of the other table, watching Kamski’s movements intently. 

“Fuck- Chloe! I need you  _ now! _ ” The man yelled. Shit, that couldn’t be good. Shit shit  _ shit. _

“Coming, Elijah!” The blonde called, rushing through the doorway in only a robe. Hank saved his speculations for later- right now he was only concerned with Connor.

“Get me the machine.” He commanded. Hank slightly bristled at the fact that he’d waited for her rather than ask him to do it, but thought better of it when he realized exactly how many fucking  _ machines _ were down there. 

She rolled over a large bulky box that resembled a dialysis machine, only slightly smaller. Kamski quickly hooked up a couple of tubes somewhere in his chest and what little Thirium was left in Connor’s system flooded it, Chloe starting an IV in the crook of his elbow to introduce more of the blue fluid. As soon as he was satisfied it was running to his standards, Kamski removed a hunk of damaged metal.

It didn’t take Hank long to realize that was his equivalent of a fucking heart, mottled and destroyed. 

“Anderson, take this and put it on the cart.” Kamski ordered. Hank did as the man said, wheeling the cart to rest next to the table for easier access. He watched as he pulled on a few wires that had been damaged as well, but as soon as he did Connor let out a staticky pained groan.

“The fuck was that?” The Lieutenant questioned.

“Chloe, disable his pain sensors.” 

Kamski kept working, Connor’s face slightly scrunched.

Even if it meant the kid was pain, Hank was grateful for the slight sign of life.

“Chloe?” Kamski urged when the android started to stir.

“I can’t shut off the program, I think something was damaged and now it’s not allowing me to.” Chloe reported quickly.

“What about putting him in hibernation?”

She tapped at a few things.

“Not working either.” 

“Fuck.” Kamski hissed, then turned to Hank. “I’m going to need you to hold him down while we work. He’s regaining consciousness and his pain sensors are on, he can feel everything I’m doing and it’s about to get a lot worse.”

“On it.” Hank acknowledged, stepping to the other side of the table to brace his arms on Connor’s shoulders.

“Chloe, I need you back over here.” 

Hank couldn’t see what they were doing, but knew what to prepare for once Kamski started counting down from three.

As soon as he hit one, Hank felt the android’s body jerk as they ripped something out. It was followed by a gritted shout of pain and resistance as Connor tried to move.

“Connor! Listen to me, son.” Hank called, firmly pinning his shoulders down. “We’re doing this to help you, alright? It’ll be over soon and everything will be back to normal, okay? Stay with me, kiddo.”

Tears streamed from Connor’s closed eyes, mouth still open in a soundless cry.

“One more.” Kamski warned. “Three, two-”

This time was much worse, but Hank held the kid down and talked him through it, even if he couldn’t hear him. It took what felt like an eternity for Kamski and Chloe to remove and replace all the damaged parts, but when they were finally done Connor was left a crying mess on the table.

“Alright, worst part’s over.” Kamski announced, closing the panels as much as he could manage around the tubes still hooked to the artificial heart. “I don’t think you should be here for this one.”

Hank met his eyes, which were now slightly rimmed with red. Had he- had Kamski been  _ crying? _

“I’m going to need to fix his skull and that means removing the entire cranial and facial plates. It’s a very delicate procedure and something I don’t think you should see.” He suggested. 

“Is he...is he stable?” Hank asked, looking back at the android. His LED was noticeably brighter, but still wasn’t as luminous as usual.

“Yes. Thankfully.” He answered. “He’ll be fine from here, I’ve got Chloe to help me and her hands are steadier than any humans’ on this planet. His pain receptors should be in the process of shutting down. Once we get the connections in his head fixed I’ll put him in proper hibernation and he’ll be sleeping peacefully.” 

Hank considered it for a moment. If Kamski said the kid was stable he had no reason to not trust him. Of course, “You can understand why I have a hard time trusting people when they tell me everything’s fine, right?”

“I do.” Kamski nodded. “You’re not the only one in this room with trust issues, Lieutenant, but you need to trust me now. He’s stable and it can be very disturbing seeing an android’s head completely deconstructed if you don’t know what to expect; it freaked me the hell out when I was first constructing them if that tells you anything, and I knew exactly what I was getting into. It’s like looking at a person whose face has been completely skinned from their skull, except this is a patient we both know.”

Hank looked from Kamski to Connor’s still form which eerily resembled a body on an autopsy table.

“Okay.” He reluctantly agreed. “But when all this is said and done you and I are gonna have a little talk.”

“You’re welcome to make yourself comfortable on the second floor.” 

When he got upstairs, Sumo was waiting for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's been a while...whoops. Endgame kinda wrecked me so this got pushed back a little further than intended. Probs gonna go back and edit it later cuz I just finished this chapter and am posting it at 5 in the morning but it more than likely won't change plot.
> 
> Thanks for being patient with my dumb ass! <3


	13. Chapter 13

Chloe had taken care of the internal wires and facial reconstruction- that was a far too delicate job for Elijah’s hands. Meanwhile Elijah busied himself at the monitor array, ensuring each delicate wire was connected successfully and running various program checks to diagnose exactly why they were unable to shut off his sensors. 

It was simple when he found one single, tiny wire that was damaged. Thankfully that was the only internal cranial damage. All in all it took about three hours to finish everything, which left a motionless but very much alive (and out of danger) Connor. 

With one slight problem.

“What the fuck do you mean you don’t have the right part? I thought you created these goddamn things!” Lieutenant Anderson interrogated.

They were in the spacious room on the second floor Elijah deemed the sitting room, considering it was bare save for a generously-sized rug and a few chairs. The dog had happily found its way to the fireplace where it sat and basked in the warm glow.

“I  _ mean _ Connor is the first in his line. He’s a prototype, just like Markus. Unlike Markus, I had no hand in the construction of his model. They designed him after I left CyberLife.” Elijah defended. 

“Then how the fuck have you given him his little upgrades? If you know nothing about him, that means you had no idea what the fuck those would do to him.” The Lieutenant accused heatedly. Elijah met him with a cold stare.

“You really think so little of me.” 

“Maybe because the last time I saw you you tried to get Connor to shoot an innocent fucking girl. That might have something to do with it.” He said, rage tainting his voice.

“Because I knew he wouldn’t.” Elijah pointed out calmly. He had no right to be angry with Anderson over that. From an outside perspective, it would seem cruel and abusive. However Elijah always had a motive for his actions, and in this case it was to force the android to confront the fact that he was a deviant and to fight for the right cause.

“Yeah? And what if he fuckin’ did?”

“Chloe agreed to participate. She knew the risks. She also knew I am perfectly capable of repairing her and restoring her memories.” At that, Anderson scoffed.

“Why, so she can go back to being one of your toys? You’re already turning Connor into one, making him trust you and think you’re someone you’re not. Congratulations, it’s working.”

He took a step closer, seething anger creeping into his words. “Chloe is the first android of their kind, and I love her as though she were my family. You don’t know who I really am, Lieutenant, so I would appreciate it if you’d stop underestimating me and making false assumptions like the rest of the world.” 

They stared each other down for a moment, neither one willing to back off. Not until the Lieutenant’s face softened.

“Fucking hell, you really care for him don’t you?” He finally realized.

“As do you.” Elijah nodded, confirming a suspicion of his own. Just as he loved Chloe as family, Anderson loved Connor.

Defeated, the Lieutenant huffed and took a seat in one of the plush red chairs. 

“Guess the kid’s just likeable, huh?” He ceded.

“Guess so.” Elijah agreed, taking a seat as well. It was clear it was a sensitive subject for them both, and neither were eager to continue the conversation.

“Y’know, I never thought I’d have a conversation like this.” The Lieutenant finally said. 

“I’m guessing one of the ‘touch my daughter and I’ll kill you’ variety.” Elijah mused, head leaned back to stare at the ceiling. Metal support beams, dark plaster, the shadows cast by the flickering flames. It’s very interesting when you’re having a conversation you very much don’t want to have.

“Somethin’ like that.” Anderson agreed. Elijah knew of his son, knew of the accident. Not like it was some big secret- they had it in news articles. It was something everyone knew, but no one dared mention. 

Elijah tore his gaze away from the ceiling to address the Lieutenant properly.

“Everything I did, any upgrades or tests, was all explicitly consensual.” He informed. “I gave Connor a say in everything, and we had a clear agreement that if he wanted me to stop he would say so. I never forced him into anything and would never do anything to purposefully hurt him. I need you to know that.”

Anderson nodded, looking down at the tile.

“I don’t know what you said or did that first time he visited you, but the kid started askin’ me about feelings. Specifically what you feel when you’re attracted to someone. Out of all the things I never thought I’d get to do, giving the sex talk isn’t something I was looking forward to.”

At that, Elijah’s blood turned to ice and it felt as though a weight had been dropped in his stomach. If he had to give Connor the sex talk, then that meant Connor had asked. If Connor asked, that meant he was interested.

Which meant, for definitely not the first time in his life, Elijah was only going to be a disappointment.

“You okay?” Anderson asked, snapping him out of his racing thoughts. “You look like you’re gonna be sick.”

Elijah took a steadying breath. It was definitely not a conversation he wanted to have with Connor’s father figure, but it was something that needed to be addressed before any more damage was done- to  _ either _ of them.

“He really asked about sex?” He asked bluntly.

“Fuck no. He just asked about feelings, he was still trying to figure it all out. Kid probably still is.”

“Thank fucking god.” Elijah sighed, relaxing from his stiff position. He got an odd expression in return. He figured he was already shoulders deep in the conversation, may as well explain. “While we’re being honest, I’m not interested in sex at all.”

Anderson seemed equally relieved.

“That’s, uh...that’s good. I guess.” He replied. “Wait why were you worried in the first place? He’s an android.”

Elijah just raised his eyebrows, conveying an unspoken  _ “And?” _

“Aren’t androids just like...Ken dolls down there or somethin’? Except the ones...y’know... _ designed _ for that sorta thing?”

Elijah shook his head.

“Since I left, CyberLife has decided to equip all androids with functioning genitalia should the  _ owner _ desire sexual pleasure.” Elijah spat the word. They weren’t slaves. He may have made the mistake of thinking that once himself, but he’d since realized the wrongness of the situation. Them? “All they care about is the money.”

“That’s fucked up.” Hank agreed. “So now that he can, uh, physically feel things-  _ fucking hell _ I’m not finishing that sentence.”

“But you can see my problem.”

“O-kay we’re gonna have this conversation  _ once _ , and then we’re gonna forget it and never speak of it again. Deal?”

“Absolutely.” Elijah agreed.

“I can tell you right now Connor doesn’t give a shit about that. He’s not some asshole that’ll sell you for a new model just because you don’t wanna have sex. Bad phrasing, but you get what I fuckin’ mean. You should hear the way he talks about you when he comes home- especially after you gave him the upgrade. The fucker straight up  _ admires _ you, okay? You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Elijah nodded, but was otherwise quiet as he processed the Lieutenant’s words. The man lived with the android, he should know best of all people what he was truly like. 

“You know he’s already gone through half that fuckin’ bag of candy?”

Elijah huffed a laugh, imagining Anderson getting pissed off at candy wrappers strewn all around the house.  _ No, _ he thought,  _ Connor’s too neat for that. _

It was still a funny thought.

“You should have seen him when he first tried it.” Kamski mused, remembering how the android’s face instantly lit up when he realized he’d gained the ability to taste. “I thought his eyes were gonna bug out of his head.”

They both turned their attention to the dog when it got up and moseyed over to where they sat, placing its gigantic head in Elijah’s lap.

“He wants you to pet him.” The Lieutenant supplied. It had been years since Kamski had been around a pet, at least since he was living with his parents. He ran his hands through the dog’s thick fur, over his exceptionally soft ears.

“What’s his name?” Elijah asked, the dog flopping on his feet.

“Sumo.”

At that, Sumo perked up and returned to his owner. Elijah hummed. Appropriate name for such a beast.

“So,” he began after a moment. “Now that we’ve gotten the most awkward shit possible in the open, should we talk about what started all this in the first place?”

“Starting with how the fuck you’re gonna get a new heart.” Anderson agreed.

“Right. Now, as much as I would love to bring CyberLife down in one way or another, the best option is to go around them.”

“Can’t you just ask them for the part? You founded the goddamn thing.”

“I represent everything CyberLife is not. I support the androids’ freedom, I don’t want them confined to following orders. I think they should have rights and proper compensation, CyberLife views them as just objects. I left because it was becoming something I no longer wanted it to be, and I refused to have any hand in it. I would get about the same greeting as Connor would if he waltzed right back in that building. Which leads me to our next problem.

“Even if Markus requested parts specifically designed for an RK800, they would more than likely refuse because Connor directly defied them, and I of all people know how CyberLife holds a grudge.”

“Okay, so CyberLife is out of the picture. What then?” Anderson questioned.

“I should be able to get my hands on the schematics for his biocomponents, in which case Chloe and I should be able to construct it with no problem.” Elijah answered. “The one we have is beyond salvageable. Speaking of, how soon do you plan on returning to the DPD?” 

“Should be as soon as rights are established and put into effect, which hopefully’ll be by the end of the week. Why?”

“I may be able to pull video archives of the attack from Connor’s memory. I figured you’d be interested in finding the ones responsible.”


	14. Chapter 14

While Kamski was able to get the footage of the attack (which pissed Hank off to no end), it was already 3AM and the following day was a Sunday. It was highly unlikely Fowler would be at the precinct, and while the department itself would be open, he needed Jeffrey in on this. Besides, they would know if he logged into his computer when he was supposed to be on leave, and they’d be able to see exactly what he used the terminal for.

So. He needed Fowler.

“I’ll download this on a thumbdrive so you can take it to the precinct.” Kamski said, glaring at the image of the attacker on the screen. It was paused at the moment just before the kid was knocked unconscious.

“Can’t you run facial recognition on it?” Hank questioned. 

“If I could, I would have already done it.” Kamski replied.

“I thought you were supposed to be a genius.” 

“A genius with no access to a databank of facial recognition software. Hacking into CyberLife’s files will be no problem, mainly because I had a hand in designing the network to prevent such a thing. I know the loopholes. There’s no way I’ll be able to run a scan through hundreds of thousands of facial profiles without someone noticing.”

Okay, fair enough. That made sense. 

“So what, we just sit around and wait until Monday?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Kamski replied with a tired sigh. “Tomorrow Chloe and I will get started on the new Thirium pump, but we likely won’t install it until Monday anyway. I still need to take a good look at his programming, make sure I’ve caught any glitches that may have occurred. It’s a long drawn-out process, so it’ll probably take most of the day.”

“Gotcha.” Hank nodded. “I gotta get Sumo home anyway. Sorry for bringin’ him in.”

Kamski shrugged, then pondered over something for a second.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been around a dog. He’s...cute.” He admitted.

Damn. Hank almost pitied the guy. He briefly wondered exactly how much Kamski’d sacrificed to become the person the entire world knew.

Before he could stop himself, he was making an offer.

“Y’know, you can always come visit Connor and Sumo. It’d probably be... _nice_ to get outta the house for once.”

Fucking hell. The kid was right; he was already becoming all cozy with Elijah-Fucking-Kamski.

Although the stunned deer-in-headlights look he got from said Elijah-Fucking-Kamski made it kinda worth it. And made him feel kinda bad at the same time. _Fuck._

Kamski cleared his throat and shifted his weight.

“I’ll take that into consideration.” He decided. Hank nodded, but it only led to an awkward silence.

“I’m, uh, gonna go take care of Sumo. Call me if anything happens.” He said.

“Of course.” Kamski agreed, and that was that. Hank showed himself out of the lab, but that only led to the fun part; finding Sumo in the gigantic-ass mansion. Thankfully it didn’t take much searching, but judging by what he heard from outside the pool room it was going to be a mess.

When he peeked inside he found Chloe in the pool, laughing as Sumo (who was already soaking wet) jumped in alongside her, splashing water all over her and causing it to slosh over the sides.

Fucking hell. Who knew Sumo liked swimming?

He tackled Chloe who sank beneath the water. Hank was slightly alarmed when she stayed under far longer than would normally be safe before realizing she was an android and didn’t need oxygen, while Sumo, whose back feet had to be perched at the bottom of the pool, paddled along and curiously watched. When she still didn’t surface, he began barking and splashing at the water directly above her. 

“What are you doing?” Hank interjected, the dog promptly turning his attention to the newcomer. Then Chloe resurfaced, and Sumo barked and began licking her face vigorously. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Hello, Lieutenant!” Chloe greeted, climbing out of the pool to take from a stack of towels sitting at the edge. Sumo, of course, followed her, leaving puddles of water on the tile. Hank sighed and grabbed one of the towels, already working on drying the dog off. Meanwhile, Chloe snagged what looked like one of Kamski’s robes.

Shit, that must have explained earlier; Chloe had just been swimming. Leave it to him for his mind to automatically go somewhere else.

“I didn’t know Sumo liked swimming.” Hank commented, throwing a sopping towel to the floor in favor of a dry one.

“I’m sorry, he saw me in the pool and jumped in.” Chloe apologized, crouching on the other side of the dog to help dry him off.

Hank shrugged.

“Saves me from giving him a bath.” He figured. “As long as I don’t hear shit from Kamski about dog hair in his pool.”

“That’s what filters are for.” She returned with a wink. They eventually got Sumo mostly dry, but his fur was still considerably damp. And now Hank smelled like wet dog.

Whatever, it could be worse.

“I’ve got an idea.” Chloe supplied, heading over to the end of the room where a stone fireplace sat, almost similar to a chiminea. She flipped a switch and flames burst to life inside, then got the towel she used to dry off with and placed it on the ground in front of it. Sumo boofed and took the towel as an invitation, stretching out in front of the warmth.

“Would you mind if I asked you something?” Hank asked, watching as she took a seat right next to the dog’s bucket-head.

“Of course not.”

Hank helped himself to the seat closest to the two.

“Kamski said you volunteered for the test.” He prompted. “Why?”

Chloe coaxed the dog’s head to perch on her leg.

“When I first saw you two approaching through the security camera, I recognized him as the deviant hunter. We’d heard prior whispers of him failing to complete missions, unable to finish what his handlers ordered. That couple at the Eden Club, for instance. If he were completely loyal he would have killed them then and there, but he didn’t.”

“How’d you know about the Eden Club?” He questioned. As far as he knew, that was classified.

“Their names are Amelia and Traci.” Chloe returned with a sly grin, but she didn’t continue any further as to how exactly they were aware of their escape. “While you were waiting in the sitting room, I spoke with Elijah. He asked if I would be up to test our suspicions, and I was. I backed up my memories and volunteered. Besides, we both knew he wouldn’t do it.”

“But if he did you would’ve gotten shot point-blank in the head.” Hank protested. “Weren’t you scared of that?” 

“A little,” she shrugged, as if it were no big deal, “but I knew Elijah could fix me. It’s important you know he never forced me into it.”

Hank nodded. Must be nice, to be able to stare into the barrel of a gun with no fear of what happened next.

“I know that now. You understand how I may have gotten things a little mixed up, though, right?”

“I do. We couldn’t let either of you know or it could skew the results, though.”

She spoke as if it were just some weird social experiment, or even some kind of fucked up prank, all while gently stroking the top of Sumo’s head. 

While Kamski had told him the same things Chloe did, it was sort of relieving to have confirmation from her. Not that he didn’t trust him, because he did. Or he did now, at least.

Maybe things really weren’t as fucked up as they seemed.

————

Sunday was a bitch.

Hank spent the entire day at home, knowing Connor was still comatose in Kamski’s basement (not the best way to word things, really) and there was absolutely jack shit he could do about it. He was antsy, easily irritable, and there was no solution in sight.

The thought of breaking into the liquor cabinet crossed his mind, but was, surprisingly, quickly dismissed. It was how he dealt with his problems before, but now was different. He was done using that as an outlet; decided as much as soon as the android stepped foot into his home.

Smoking? That shit was gross. He kept a pack around for times when things were especially fucked and he couldn’t give a shit about the taste. He was fairly certain the kid saw the cigarette butts out on the porch, but he was thankful he didn’t say anything.

So...instead of his usual self-destructive habits he took to tidying the house further, throwing away any stray pieces of trash, running the vacuum again, and doing some touch-ups on the kid’s room because despite what his brain tried to tell him Connor _was_ going to get better and _was_ coming back, it would just be hell until everything blew over.

The rest of the day he felt completely fucking useless, and it was hell trying to get to sleep that night. Apparently he did, at some point, because the next thing he knew his alarm was going off and it was time to get shit done.

————

While Elijah worked on finding the schematics for the proper biocomponents, Hank was off to the precinct to have a discussion with Fowler. He had a USB containing the footage Elijah was able to recover, content that disturbed them both. Each were perfectly ready to beat the shit out of the assholes that did it, but before they could make any rash decisions Hank decided it would be best if they took care of it _legally._  

Or at least try. If it didn’t work, then he’d go beat the shit outta them himself with Elijah as backup. He was enough of a powerful figure to scare them into never touching an android again unless they wanted a very large lawsuit over their heads. 

When he entered the precinct, he was immediately greeted by none other than Reed. Of fucking course.

“I gotta say, I never have high expectations for you, Anderson. But this?” He gestured to Hank’s rumpled clothes (which may or may not have been completely stained by blue blood just a day earlier that had since evaporated) and generally tired, pissed off expression. Really, he only looked _slightly_ worse than usual. “I think this is a new low.”

Hank, as much as he wanted to punch the bastard in his smug fucking face, brushed past him while giving him the finger over his shoulder.

“What the ever-loving fuck are you doing back here?” Fowler demanded as soon as he stepped foot in his office.

Hank weighed his options: he could either be a complete dick, or he could actually be quiet and maybe, _maybe_ decent for once. Considering he was too exhausted to even pick a fight with Reed, he chose the latter.

“I need help with something.” He confessed. Which, judging by Fowler’s shocked expression, caught him completely off guard. Hey, at least it did the job; he wasn’t opposed to sympathy points at the moment.

“Hank, I don’t know what you need from me but I can’t help you right now. Warren’s about to have her meeting with that android Markus. You know things have been shit already, it’s about to get a lot worse.” Jeffrey explained. 

“Yeah, well, this pertains to an assault against an android.” He said, taking a seat in the Captain’s office chair.

“You know we can’t exactly do anything about that right now, right? Not until the new amendments are passed, and you know how congress works.”

_Goddammit._

“They nearly killed Connor.” He admitted lowly.

Fowler cursed under his breath. 

“He okay?” He asked. Just like Hank, the Captain hadn’t been overly fond of the androids when they’d first surfaced, but as with most of the officers in the precinct, the kid grew on him and seemed to break the ice.

“For now. Kamski’s taking care of him.”

“ _Elijah_ Kamski?”

 _What, do you know of another guy with the fuckin’ last name Kamski?_ Hank thought. _Thought,_ didn’t _say_ , thank you very much.

“He’s the only one ‘sides the assholes at CyberLife who knows what to do with the kid and even _he’s_ havin’ a hard time getting the parts he needs. In the meantime he’s got Connor on a fucking dialysis machine with his head wide open.” Hank admitted bitterly. As pissed off and disgruntled the sight made him, he knew he had to include details. He could guilt trip when he needed to. 

“Shit, Hank. I’m sorry.” Fowler consoled. “I’m probably gonna regret this, but what is it you need help with?”

After checking no one else in the precinct was watching through the office’s glass walls, Hank pulled out his phone and showed the Captain the footage of the attackers Kamski had sent over. He’d only give the USB if Jeffrey actually agreed to help.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” Fowler asked tiredly. “We can’t do anything, our hands are tied. Even if we could, we can’t legally arrest them based on that.”

  
“No, but you can help me track them down.” The Lieutenant returned, pocketing the phone. He could already see the beginnings of a protest and copious warnings ready to leave Fowler’s mouth. “I’m not gonna do anything to ‘em.” Hank quickly added. _At least nothing they can file against, or at the_ very _least prove._ “We’re just gonna have a talk.”

All he got was an unamused glare in return.

“What?”

“You’re not exactly known for doing things quietly, Anderson.”

“I’ve also got Elijah Kamski on my side, Jeffrey.” Hank pointed out. 

The Captain was quiet again, visibly grinding his teeth while he thought.

“Fine.” He finally huffed, turning to his computer screen. “Send me the video, I’ll run facial recognition.” 

Hank handed over the USB, to which Fowler raised an eyebrow.

“You run facial, then that thing stays with me. No files to dig through in case some asshole tries to investigate.”

The Captain shrugged and docked the device, and within seconds they had names.

“If I hear _anything_ about this-”

“We didn’t have this conversation.” Hank interjected. “I showed you videos of Sumo or some shit. But as far as anyone else is concerned I did this on my own.”

After an approving nod from the Captain, he swung the glass door open.

“Hank?”

“Yeah?”

“I hope Connor gets better soon.” Fowler said.

_Holy fuck, he has a heart._

“Me too.” He agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> I need more fanart of Kamski in a robe...asking for a friend.
> 
> Feel free to stop by my tumblr and message me if you find something wrong, or even just to say hi! You can find it [here]()


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